That Text About an Unpaid Toll Is Probably a Scam — Here’s How To Protect Your Money
Written by
Gabrielle Olya
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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If you recently received a text stating that you owe money for an unpaid toll you weren’t aware of, it’s likely a scam. While these texts may look like they are coming from a legitimate source, such as a vendor that your state or municipality uses, they can be used to hack your phone or steal your banking information.
Before clicking on any links, here’s what you need to know about this common text scam.
Don’t Fall For the Sense of Urgency
Unpaid toll text scams have become increasingly common in recent months.
“There has been a recent surge in unpaid toll scams,” said Michael Scheumack, chief innovation officer at IdentityIQ. “These are ‘smishing’ scams that come in as texts on your phone that state you owe for unpaid tolls and provide a malicious link for payment. The texts aim to trick you into providing your credit card or other personal information to scammers.”
It’s tempting to click on these links — but think twice before you do.
“Usually these texts have a sense of urgency with the goal of making the victim act quickly and click the fake link,” Scheumack said. “Scammers can be after your credit card information, bank account information, driver’s license information or other personal information.”
It’s important to stay vigilant and not be thrown off by the sense of urgency these texts convey.
“Don’t fall for the false sense of urgency,” Scheumack said. “Toll agencies usually send out notices through the mail for unpaid tolls. When in doubt, contact the agency directly through official channels.”
Unpaid Toll Texts Can Be Used To Obtain Various Personal Information
The nature of the scam and the information they are after will vary, but all of the texted links should be avoided.
“The risk this scam poses to your identity and finances depends on the data you provide,” Scheumack said. “If you click on the fake link and enter your bank account or credit card information into the fake payment portal, the criminals now have access to that information.
“If you click on a fake link that downloads malware to your smartphone device, it can contain spyware that steals your personal information, such as credit card and bank account details, as well as usernames and passwords.”
What To Do If You Receive an Unpaid Toll Scam Text
If you receive a text about an unpaid toll that seems suspicious, avoid clicking any links and report it to the appropriate authorities.
“If you feel you received a unpaid toll scam text, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.FTC.gov,” Scheumack said.
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