A texting scam to trick drivers into entering their banking or credit card information into a bogus website is targeting drivers in several US states.
The warning comes from tolling organisation IBTTA as well as from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The US states in which drivers are being targeted include Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas. The text message, which claims to be from a toll agency service provider, for example, “NJ Turnpike toll services”, directs the driver to click a link to pay an outstanding toll balance in order to avoid a late fee. The outstanding toll balances described in the text messages are not real.
IBTTA is urging drivers who receive text messages like these to delete them without clicking on the link. Any drivers who have clicked the link and filled out the form should immediately contact their bank or credit card provider.
The FBI also issued a Public Service Announcement about the scams that includes instructions on what toll road customers should do if they receive a fraudulent text message. According to the FBI, the agency’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 2,000 complaints reporting so-called smishing texts representing road toll collection service from at least three states. The FBI said it believes the scam may be moving from state to state.
Those who believe they have received a fraudulent text can file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov, a site dedicated to sharing information on Internet crimes across law enforcement agencies.
IBTTA recommends that toll operators load a warning on their websites and prepare a press release in advance to be used if the agency is attacked.
