What Happened
The FTC said imposter scams were the top scam category for the ninth year in a row. In 2025, the agency received more than 1 million reports about imposter scams, with reported losses rising nearly 20% to $3.5 billion.
The agency said reports of government imposter scams were up 40%, helped by bogus overdue-toll texts that spoof toll programs like EZ-Pass, SunPass, FasTrak, and TxTag. The messages threaten late fees or suspended vehicle registrations unless people pay immediately.
The FTC also said romance-scam reports rose, with reported losses increasing 22% and an average reported loss of $2,020 per person. The familiar pattern: build a relationship, pivot to money, and suddenly your new online sweetheart is also an investment adviser from the Island of Red Flags.
Why This Matters
Imposter scams work because they borrow trust. Government logos, toll-road urgency, fake romance, fake customer service, fake bank alerts — same con, different Halloween costume.
The FTC's advice is still the boring advice that saves money: do not use phone numbers or links from a scary text. Contact the real agency or company through a website or number you know is legitimate. And do not send money to someone you have never met in person just because they typed tenderly and mentioned crypto at sunset.
The Dumb Part With The Toll Booth Cosplay
The dumbest part is how small the hook can be. A fake toll bill for a few dollars becomes a portal to stolen payment information, identity theft, and a much bigger financial punch in the face.
It is fraud's laziest magic trick: pretend to be boring. Nobody wants to fight with a toll agency, so the scammer dresses the trap as a chore. "Pay now or your registration gets suspended" is not customer service. It is a mugging wearing an EZ-Pass lanyard.
The Bottom Line
If a message demands immediate money, threatens punishment, or sends you to a weird link, slow down. Real agencies do not need you to panic-click before breakfast.
Imposter scams keeping the crown for nine straight years is embarrassing for civilization, but useful as a warning: when someone shows up pretending to be authority, romance, or opportunity, make them prove it somewhere outside the text thread.
Sources
FTC: New trends in reports of imposter scams
FTC: How to avoid imposter scams