Got a text about unpaid tolls? How to spot the scam and report it
The FTC says unexpected texts about toll balances are usually phishing. Here is how to check safely and report the message to 7726.
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and one of the most common scams on phones right now is a short text saying you owe a small toll and need to pay through a link. The Federal Trade Commission has warned that these messages usually come from scammers posing as toll agencies.
The texts tend to list a dollar amount and a link to a page that looks official. The goal is to collect your card number and personal details, sometimes including your driver's license number. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency says phishing emails, texts and calls are the number one way data gets compromised.
The FTC's advice is simple. Do not tap the link or reply, even to type STOP. If you think you might owe a toll, contact your state's toll agency using a phone number or website you look up yourself, and check your account there. Then report the text using your phone's junk or spam option, or forward it to 7726, which spells SPAM, and delete it.
If you already entered card details on one of these pages, call your bank or card issuer using the number on the back of your card and ask about blocking the card. Changing passwords on any account that shares the same login is also a good idea.
Take a minute today to tell someone in your family who drives about this scam. A quick heads-up can save someone a stressful afternoon.
Sources
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