Don’t Open Those Annoying Texts About Unpaid Tolls

It’s hard to trust any message you receive any more. From robocalls to phishing emails, there’s a lack of confidence whenever you open something from your inbox. Add scam texts warning you of an unpaid toll to the list of things you receive that most likely aren’t real.

The Federal Trade Commission sent out a release in January urging people who get these messages to ignore them. The senders of the messages are just trying to get your information and aren’t concerned about unpaid tolls.

“Not only is the scammer trying to steal your money, but if you click the link, they could get your personal info—and even steal your identity,” the release explained.

Scammers Are Sending Texts About Unpaid Tolls—Don’t Open Them

These toll texts seemingly come out of nowhere and demand that you pay the bill immediately. Right off the jump, that’s a bit fishy, as typically there’s a timeframe for a toll violation, not a need to pay it that day like the text is aiming for you to do. The dollar amount will be listed in the text, as well as the aforementioned link. That’s where the scammers are hoping you go so they can begin to infiltrate you.

An example text would read something like, “Your vehicle has an unpaid toll bill. To avoid excessive late feeds on your bill, please settle it promptly. Thank you for your cooperation.” Notice how it’s extremely vague. There’s no toll location given, no description of your vehicle or license plate, nor is there a single detail that applies to the person receiving it.

The FTC recommends that you never click any links from unexpected texts. They also urge you to report and delete any unwanted messages. The agency says if you do receive prompts from state departments, you can always visit the group’s website to confirm that the email address or number that reached out to you is legit.

Companies like EZ Pass and Tolls By Mail will never send you a text message, either. So keep that in mind when alerts come your way. This is an issue that isn’t plaguing any one state, too. Everywhere from New York down to Georgia and Texas have been struck with this phishing attempt.

Every state that has addressed the issue has echoed the same sentiments about double-checking the sender with the official state website, and above anything else, to never click the link.

Technology is fun and makes for far more efficient living. It’s things like these that make you worry about how easy it is to lose what’s valuable to you.