Wisconsin consumers are being warned about a surge in scam text messages falsely claiming recipients owe overdue toll fees, according to a joint consumer alert issued this week by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

State officials say the scam messages are designed to look like “final notice” alerts and often claim to be associated with WisDOT. The texts typically include a link urging recipients to pay an outstanding balance immediately to avoid penalties or legal action.