Toll violation texts are a scam, agencies warn
Scams: How to spot fraud
Getting scammed is messy and stressful so here are some ways to spot a scammer.
Whether you’ve driven through a toll recently or not, you may have received a text saying you owe money for unpaid tolls.
But, it may be a scam.
Toll violation texts are scams
What we know:
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), scammers are pretending to be tolling agencies from coast to coast and sending texts demanding money.
What they're saying:
The FTC said you may get a text message that says you have unpaid tolls and need to pay immediately. The text may show a dollar amount for how much you supposedly owe and include a link that takes you to a page to enter your bank or credit card information.
LEFT: Toll violation scam text. RIGHT: A woman uses her smartphon (Credit: Robert Alexander/Getty Images)
"Not only is the scammer trying to steal your money, but if you click the link, they could get your personal info (like your driver’s license number) — and even steal your identity," Andrew Rayo, a consumer education specialist at the FTC, said in a blog post.
How to avoid text scams
What you can do:
To avoid a text scam like this, the FTC says not to click on any links in, or respond to, unexpected texts. Scammers want you to react quickly, but it’s best to stop and check it out.
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If you’re unsure, reach out to the state’s tolling agency using a phone number or website you know is real — not the info from the text.
Report and delete unwanted text messages. Use your phone’s "report junk" option to report unwanted texts to your messaging app or forward them to 7726 (SPAM). Once you’ve checked it out and reported it, delete the text.