NMDOT Warns of Scammers Falsely Claiming New Mexico Toll Roads

“Remember, since New Mexico has no toll roads, any message claiming you owe toll fees in our state is 100% fraudulent,” said NMDOT Cabinet Secretary Ricky Serna, as state transportation officials alerted residents about a wave of scam messages that have prompted a surge in calls to the agency.

The advisory, issued by the New Mexico Department of Transportation, describes a campaign that uses text messages, emails and phone calls to demand immediate toll payments. The scams often include threats of license suspension or legal action to create a false sense of urgency. “These scammers create a false sense of urgency by threatening license suspension or legal action to panic people into making payments,” Serna said.

Reported scam tactics include messages that demand payment, phone calls alleging toll violations, convincing fake websites designed to look like government pages, and unsolicited QR codes urging recipients to scan and pay. The NMDOT message to New Mexicans is simple: ignore unexpected notices about unpaid tolls, do not click links or follow payment instructions in unsolicited messages, and never scan QR codes from unexpected messages about toll payments. The agency emphasizes it will never request toll payments from residents or visitors.

The advisory highlights conflicting dates used by scammers to heighten urgency. State officials warned that some messages claim “enforcement action” will begin after May 14, 2025; other reporting shows scammers have also circulated notices saying enforcement will begin after Feb. 4, 2026. Both dates are presented by scammers as deadlines, underscoring that the dates themselves are part of the fraud rather than an official enforcement calendar.

For Los Alamos County residents and visitors, the risk is twofold: financial loss from paying fraudulent demands and the anxiety of receiving official-looking communications. Local drivers who commute to jobs at Los Alamos National Laboratory and across the Pajarito Plateau are among the same New Mexicans the NMDOT says scammers are targeting statewide. While officials report a surge in calls from concerned citizens, no case counts or victim statistics were provided.

Practical steps for readers are clear: ignore unexpected toll notices, do not click embedded links, do not scan unsolicited QR codes, and do not provide personal or financial information in response to these messages. Keep copies of suspicious communications and report them to state authorities and local law enforcement so officials can track the scam’s scope.

The broader takeaway for Los Alamos County is vigilance. Scammers continue to evolve their tactics and dates to force hasty action, so verify any official-looking demand before responding. Officials say the messages are fraudulent - treat them as such, and contact authorities if you believe you have been targeted or victimized.