Austria: ASFINAG warns of fake emails about vignette additional payments (September 2026)
The Austrian motorway company ASFINAG is currently warning about a massive wave of fake emails that supposedly announce an outstanding surcharge due to a missing vignette. The scammers demand the retroactive purchase of a 10-day vignette for 12.36 euros and threaten a fine of up to 3,000 euros if payment is not made.
The scam is purely a digital fabrication: ASFINAG fundamentally never sends emails for a missing vignette, but exclusively payment requests by post. The payment link in the fake emails leads to the domain "autobahnen-asfinag.eu", which was only registered on April 10, 2026, and has no connection whatsoever to the genuine ASFINAG address asfinag.at.
How the scam works
The emails claim to come from the "ASFINAG Service Center" and allege that no valid vignette was present while driving on the high-level road network. Recipients are asked to pay for a replacement vignette via a link and to enter their credit card details in the process. Anyone who pays is handing their payment details directly to the scammers, with no genuine vignette or surcharge behind it.
How to recognize the fake
The sender address and link destination differ from asfinag.at (here: "autobahnen-asfinag.eu")
ASFINAG sends surcharge demands for a missing vignette exclusively by post, never by email
The demanded amount of 12.36 euros is far below the actual replacement toll in a real inspection
The same caution applies to fake vignette web shops, which lure customers—especially during the travel season—with supposed discounts. You can find a detailed overview of typical warning signs in our guide to fake vignette web shops.
What to do if you have received such an email
Under no circumstances click on the payment link, and do not enter any bank or credit card details. If in doubt, check the official address shop.asfinag.at directly in your browser instead of following a link in the email. If you have already entered your details, contact your bank immediately, have your card blocked, and report the incident to the police.
You can read how much a genuine Austrian vignette will cost in 2026 and what is changing in the distribution system in our article Vignette Austria 2026: Prices increased, digital-only from 2027.
We explain in detail how high the actual replacement toll for a missing vignette in Austria really is on our page Vignette Austria.
Austria toll at a glance
For cars, motorcycles and motorhomes up to 3.5 t GVW, the digital vignette requirement applies on motorways and expressways. It is a flat fee for a fixed period.
For trucks, buses and larger motorhomes over 3.5 t GVW, the distance-based toll applies instead, paid with the GO-Box. Its amount depends on factors such as the distance driven, number of axles and emission class. In addition, individual tunnels and mountain roads (e.g. Brenner, Tauern Tunnel, Karawanken Tunnel) charge a separate special toll, regardless of any other toll product.
All details on tolls in AustriaThe vignette flat rate explained
With our vignette flat rate, you save yourself the hassle of buying individually for each trip: for just 12,80 €* per month, it covers the included vignettes in 8 European countries. For each trip, simply select the appropriate vignette, and the toll fee is then already covered by your flat rate. You are not tied to any single country.
* ASFINAG toll (10-day vignette): €12.80, toll costs covered in full by DMC, flat rate (per calendar month): € 12,80, notice period 0 days
- One flat rate, 8 countries
- Travel flexibly
- Termination directly in the administration
The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant journey!
Whether it's a genuine vignette for Austria or questions about the current 2026 vignette price structure – never buy vignettes via links from unsolicited emails, but only through the official ASFINAG website or well-known, reputable providers. Then nothing stands in the way of a safe journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything important about the ASFINAG phishing warning
Does ASFINAG send emails if I was traveling without a valid toll sticker?
No. ASFINAG only requests a replacement toll fee in writing by post. Emails demanding an additional payment and threatening a fine do not come from ASFINAG, but from fraudsters.
How can I specifically recognize the current phishing email?
I have already clicked on the link and entered my card details. What should I do?
How do I safely buy a genuine Austrian vignette?
