Good To Go! doesn’t text for fee, WSDOT says

The Washington State Department of Transportation issued a warning to Washingtonians, urging not to click on fraudulent links in text messages claiming to be the state’s toll collection program, Good To Go!

The text message scams look convincing enough – usually starting with “WSDOT Toll Alert” along with fake websites mirroring WSDOT’s official payment website – and urge people to pay their outstanding balance quickly to avoid more late fees.

The Federal Trade Commission has said the toll scams are common phishing scams, meaning that clicking on the link in the text could allow scammers to steal not only your money, but your personal information and identity as well.

WSDOT said people should instead log on to their Good To Go! account at mygoodtogo.com.

“The text messages were not sent by Good To Go!,” WSDOT wrote in a March 19 press release. “Good to Go! never sends text messages asking for payment.”

The top of WSDOT’s website has a bright purple banner reading “SCAM ALERT” to warn Washingtonians of the common illegal tactic.

“We’re aware of texts claiming to be from Good To Go! and saying it’s a final reminder,” the banner read. “These are from scammers, you don’t need to call us and should delete the text. We do not send texts asking for payments.”

The scam texts have become increasingly common not only in Washington, but around the country. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center issued a statement in April 2024 saying it received tens of thousands of complaints.

If you receive one of these texts that you believe to be fraudulent, the FBI suggests filing a complaint at ic3.gov that includes the phone number from where the text originated and the website linked in the text. The FBI then recommends checking your account online, “on the toll service’s legitimate website,” contacting the toll service’s customer service line, and deleting any suspicious texts received.