FEDERAL officials have warned all drivers to immediately delete malicious text messages that appear to come from legitimate parking and toll services.
The texts lure unsuspecting victims in with fraudulent toll fees and alert them of late payment penalties.
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Smishing texts are designed to have users click on a malicious link that prompts them to download malware, share sensitive information, or send money to cyber criminals.
After a rise in smishing texts, officials are asking iPhone and Android users to delete any suspicious messages.
“The texts claim the recipient owes money for unpaid tolls and contain almost identical language,” the FBI’s warning stated.
“However, the link provided within the text is created to impersonate the state’s toll service name, and phone numbers appear to change between states.”
While scammers have registered “over 10,000 domains,” the fake texts are easy to identify, as reported by Forbes.
One of the most recognizable texts sent prompted Americans to pay for tolls.
The Federal Trade Commission issued a statement after the rise in toll scams, urging Americans not to click on any links in the text.
“The scammy text might 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 info — but it’s a phishing scam,” the statement reads.
“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.“
Anyone who received the text and is concerned about an actual unpaid fee should reach out to their respective city or state’s tolling agency through an independent search — not through the scam text.
It’s not enough to just ignore the message; the FTC prompts Americans to use their phone’s “report junk” option and then delete it altogether.
Scammers use these fake texts to retrieve personal information, including financial statements, accounts, and passwords.
Smishing texts look almost identical to the scam toll texts — both are trying to get Americans to click on an unverified link.
According to McAfee Labs research, scammers specifically tailor their messages to the person’s city or state.
For example, a New York driver would receive a toll scam that mentioned the use of an “E-ZPass” since many drivers in the city have an E-ZPass installed.
The McAfee report listed Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Orlando as some of the top cities being targeted.
How are scammers finding my number?
Here Mackenzie Tatananni, science and technology reporter at The U.S. Sun, breaks down ways a scammer may get your information.
Scammers commonly get phone numbers from data breaches, which occur when a hacker accesses a private database – often those maintained by companies like service providers and employers.
This information may be shared and circulated online, including on the dark web, where there are forums dedicated to sharing leaked information.
Another common technique called wardialing employs an automated system that targets specific area codes.
A recorded message will instruct the listener to enter sensitive information, like a card number and PIN.
There is also a far more harrowing possibility: your phone number could be listed online without your knowledge.
Data brokers are hungry to buy and sell your information. These companies gather information from various public sources online, including social media and public records
Their primary goal is to build databases of people and use this information for tailored advertising and marketing.
Much of this information ends up on public record sites, which display information like your phone number, email, home address, and date of birth for anyone to see.
In the United States, these sites are legally required to remove your information if you request it.
Locate your profile and follow the opt-out instructions, but be warned – these sites do not make it easy and intend to frustrate you out of completing the deregistration process.
For simplicity’s sake, you can also use a tool to purge your information from the Internet.
Norton offers one such service. Called the Privacy Monitor Assistant, the tool finds info online and requests removal on your behalf.
It is also possible that your phone number may be linked to a social media account and publicly displayed on your profile – this happens quite frequently with Facebook.
Be sure to review your privacy settings and confirm this information is hidden away from prying eyes.
Less than 35% of the population knows what smishing texts are, according to a report by SafetyDetectives.
Hackers use this to their advantage, making their scams that much more effective.
Lawmakers are growing increasingly worried about their constituents falling for these scams.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill addressed Americans directly after being targeted by scammers herself.
“I received this text as well. It is a scam. If you ever receive a text that looks suspicious, be sure to never click on it,” she said.
“You don’t want your private information stolen by scammers.”
