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UAE: Received a 'Darb Alert' for pending toll fees? Could be a scam
Before you click on that link, check if the message is from Q Mobility at all
- PUBLISHED: Tue 20 Jan 2026, 8:32 PM UPDATED: Wed 21 Jan 2026, 4:40 PM
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Over the past few days, several UAE residents seem to have received messages saying they have pending toll fees in Abu Dhabi, urging them to click on a suspicious-looking link to make their payment.
For one resident, the message, titled 'DARB-Alert', said, "Pending Status: Please settle overdue toll fees (AED 4.00) to avoid the issuance of a AED 100.00 fine and traffic points today, Jan 20."
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The message included an "official link" and also urged the resident to "Reply Y to open the secure payment portal."
A user on Reddit posted about a similar message he/she received on January 19, called a 'Final Enforcement Warning', with a different URL as the payment link.
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Both the messages were sent from a phone number which was evidently not from the UAE. The reddit post prompted a bunch of comments from other users, who suggested that the receiver should check the sender's phone number and country code before falling for such scams. Some also suggested that the user should cross check on the DARB application for any pending toll fees on their account.
How to protect yourself?
Q Mobility, which operates and develops Darb, Abu Dhabi's toll system, sends out alerts time and again to users via social media, urging them to be wary of fraudulent links and scammers.
On Wednesday, January 21, Q Mobility urged residents to watch out for phishing scams. "Always verify that the link in the text message is correct, and that it is sent from the official Q Mobility account," the body said on X, with a video detailing how residents can stay safe.
Beware of phishing messages claiming to be from Q Mobility.
— Q Mobility (@qmobilityuae) January 21, 2026
Always verify that the link in the text message is correct, and that it is sent from the official Q Mobility account.
Payments should only be made through official channels: TAMM or DARB app, or the official website.
"Before you engage with any message that claims to be from Q Mobility or Darb, stop and verify. The only trusted channels are DARB App and website http://darb.qmobility.ae," they said in a social media post last week.
Messages from Q Mobility clearly indicate that they are from the authority, and not from a random mobile number. Here's what an official message from them looks like:
Last month, Q Mobility had warned residents that they had received complaints of some users using unauthorised payment applications for Darb and Mawaqif fees. They urged users to ensure that they pay only via official apps — Darb and TAMM.
How are Darb toll fees collected?
One has to register on the Darb toll management system in order to pay the fees. According to the Q Mobility website, for vehicles registered out of Abu Dhabi, the toll fees are collected automatically from the financial wallet of the vehicle for every pass under the gates (if the vehicle is registered in Darb system).
For Abu Dhabi vehicles, the user has the option to enable/disable the Auto-Payment feature for his vehicle' transactions, provided that all toll fees for his vehicle are paid before any renewal/waiver/amendment/cancel/export for the vehicle in the Vehicles and Drivers Licensing Department.
Moreover, users can go to the official website to pay the fine for a vehicle not registered in the toll management system and also to pay a fine of insufficient balance in the financial wallet when you pass under the gate.
