Stephens County Sheriff’s Office warning of Toll Text Scam Alert

By Stephens County Sheriff’s Office – Georgia

The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office has been made aware that multiple citizens in Stephens County have received scam texts with the attached image. The image contains a fabricated state court hearing for a toll violation in Fulton County. The text is a SCAM! If you receive this text, DO NOT scan the QR code (redacted in this image for your safety). Simply delete the message, and continue with your day.

When we reviewed the image, we noticed the following red flags, which may help you if you get this text or others in the future:

With just a couple of quick Google searches, we learned there is neither an active judge nor a clerk of state court in Fulton County named John Smith. 

The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office will not send you traffic citations via text message, and neither will most agencies. Most toll citations come through the mail with proof of a violation. If it’s a random text from an unknown number or email address, it isn’t legitimate. Someone who initiates a request for payment through a sketchy text message is almost always a scammer just trying to access your bank account or personal information.

If you are a Stephens County resident and neither you nor anyone who would regularly drive your vehicle has been in Fulton County recently, there’s no reason you should be receiving a citation. If you think it does apply to you, reach out to the Peach Pass Customer Service Center at 1-855-PCH-PASS or online at

https://peachpass.com/pay-toll-violations/.

You can also contact the State Road and Tollway Authority at 

https://srta.ga.gov/contact-us/.

Don’t succumb to a scammer’s fear tactics, Stephens County. Ignore and delete scam texts. However, if you do get scammed, please let us know. Call 706-886-2525 or the non-emergency dispatch line at 706-779-3911.

Saying no to scammers is just another way we stand together to create a Stronger, Safer Stephens County.