Did you get a text about an unpaid toll? It's probably a scam
Scam alert: Fake toll payment texts target NYC
Scammers are targeting NYC drivers with fake toll payment texts, urging recipients to click a link to avoid late fees. Officials warn that these messages are fraudulent and designed to steal personal and financial information. FOX 5’s Kendall Green breaks down how to spot the scam, why it’s happening, and what to do if you receive one.
A new text message phishing scam is targeting drivers with claims that they have unpaid tolls that they need to pay soon, or they'll be fined.
Several employees at Fox Television Stations received this very same message. "The Toll Roads Notice of Toll Evasion: You have an unpaid toll bill on your account. To avoid late fees, pay within 12 hours or the late fees will be increased and reported to the DMV," one message from a UK phone number read.
Even California's transit authority released a warning to customers: "The Toll Roads is advising drivers to disregard phishing texts being sent to their phones that detail a specific outstanding toll amount. If you receive a text and are unsure, The Toll Roads customers can verify valid text notifications by logging into their account."
Scam texts sent across the US
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), scam texts are being sent to people across the country.
The backstory:
These text messages claim that the recipient has unpaid tolls that need to be paid quickly to avoid the fine. These texts have a warning about the alleged bill, which sometimes includes a dollar amount owed, and a link to pay the tolls.
However, the link is a phishing scam, and clicking it brings you to a website that wants your credit card information and other personal info, like your driver's license number.
If you haven't traveled outside of your state recently, it may be easy to peg a text about tolls as a scam. However, if you recently traveled to a state with toll roads, it can be trickier to determine if such a message is real.
What you can do:
If you receive a text claiming you have unpaid tolls, do not click the link in the message. Instead, contact the state's tolling agency to determine if the message is legitimate. Be sure that you go to the state's tolling agency website to find the phone number.
Then, report the scam text by using your phone's "report junk" option or forward it to 7726 (SPAM).