Drivers beware: New text scam sends fake bill for road tolls
BBB has seen a 1,300% rise in phishing scams since the end of 2022
(InvestigateTV) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued an alert after receiving thousands of complaints about fake road toll collection service texts.
The fake texts request payment for outstanding road tolls and link to a website designed to mimic legitimate state toll service sites.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is also warning drivers of the scam.
“We’ve noticed a couple of reports to our scam tracker where people were given a link, to pay a toll, and they were actually on the toll road,” Melanie McGovern with the BBB explained. “So, they’re thinking, ‘okay, maybe I do owe this money.’ But when they got to the point of like paying, they’re like, ‘this doesn’t seem right.’”
The BBB found scammers claiming to be toll road collectors from numerous states, including Florida, Tennessee and New York.
The scam uses fear as a tactic to trick people out of their money.
“If you don’t pay tolls – they have a picture of your license plate, which leads to your registration. They say, you know, your license could get suspended,” McGovern said. “So, if you’re driving with a suspended license or registration, that is a fear in and of itself, like, ‘okay, I’ve got to pay this toll.’ What is it, $1 or $2? But then you’re giving them your credit card information. So that’s where the fraud could start.”
McGovern encouraged people to always check the BBB Scam Tracker to see if other people are reporting the same text language or number.
She also suggested that anyone who may be concerned they legitimately owe a toll fee to verify their outstanding balance with the agency directly – do not use the link from a suspicious text.
Instead, use a web browser to find the toll services’ actual website, log in, and check for any outstanding toll bills.
Another way to verify is by calling the toll service’s customer service line.
“I know a lot of them are cashless, they’re above you, they’re around there somewhere. So just thinking about it is really important. How did they get my number?” McGovern noted. “Absolutely checking with the toll agency is the best way to start.”
McGovern recommended looking up toll roads and fees on the way to destinations before traveling.
Lastly, those who think they may have received a text scam are urged to report it to the BBB or the FBI Internet Complaint Center (IC3).
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