As Individuals wrestle with rising costs, a brand new monetary rip-off has emerged concentrating on numerous drivers—false toll highway textual content messages. In latest months, a number of information retailers and social media customers have reported receiving these rip-off notifications, which declare to be toll expenses.
Based on CBS Information, the Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) has issued a warning, stating that the texts many individuals are receiving about unpaid tolls are “in all probability” scams.
“Whether or not you’ve pushed by a toll just lately or not, you would possibly’ve gotten a textual content saying you owe cash for unpaid tolls. It’s in all probability a rip-off,” the FTC cautioned in its alert. “Scammers are pretending to be tolling companies from coast to coast and sending texts demanding cash. Not solely is the scammer attempting to steal your cash, however in case you click on the hyperlink, they may get your private information (like your driver’s license quantity) — and even steal your identification.”
Maintain studying to be taught extra concerning the rip-off messages and what to do in case you obtain one.
⚠️SCAM ALERT: Has anybody else gotten this textual content quite a few occasions this week? That is my FOURTH! You’ve received to admire the persistence however I’m not falling for it. Thanks however no thanks! pic.twitter.com/OLsOpPeZeo
— Mycah Hatfield (@MycahABC13) February 22, 2025
What Do Actual Roll Highway Notifications Look Like?
E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail don’t notify drivers of unpaid tolls through textual content message requesting private data, corresponding to bank card or Social Safety numbers. If you happen to obtain a textual content or an e-mail asking for personally identifiable particulars, you shouldn’t present that data.
What Do the Roll Highway Rip-off Texts Look Like?
The rip-off texts range in look, however New York, Massachusetts, Washington D.C., Florida, Indianapolis, Pennsylvania and different states have reported drivers receiving messages claiming that they owed toll charges. Based on USAToday, which reported that a few of its employees received these texts as nicely, one of many messages folks have obtained learn, “Pay your FastTrak Lane tolls by February 13, 2025. To keep away from a wonderful and maintain your license, you possibly can pay at https://ezdrivema.com-xlk.vip/i/. (Please reply Y, then exit the textual content message and open it once more to activate the hyperlink, or copy the hyperlink into your Safari browser and open it).”
One other message that some Florida residents obtained learn, “Please pay your toll in Florida by January 21, 2025. To be able to keep away from extreme late charges and potential authorized motion on statements, please pay your tolls in time. Thanks on your cooperation and need you a nice vacation. in response to the outlet.
Can I Block the Toll Highway Scams?
Folks can block any telephone quantity that reaches out to their telephone. The FTC introduced that Individuals ought to do the next in the event that they obtain these scams:
- Don’t click on the hyperlink within the rip-off textual content; go to the precise toll service web site to verify an account’s steadiness
- Use a smartphone’s “report junk” characteristic upon receiving one in every of these texts
- If you happen to do click on the hyperlink in one in every of these rip-off messages, safe your whole private data as quickly as potential, together with financial institution accounts
- File a criticism with the FBI’s Web Crime Criticism Heart and embody the rip-off textual content’s telephone quantity and the web site hooked up to the textual content
