DRIVERS have been cautioned about a convincing scam that has robbed people of sensitive information.
The sneaky text message was designed so drivers would click on a fraudulent link.
GettyA scam toll message tricked drivers into giving up personal information[/caption] Facebook/Sharron Blosser BascettaDrivers said the scam message looked ‘very convincing’[/caption]Over 60,000 drivers nationwide have complained about receiving this toll scam text within the last year, as reported by the FBI.
The fake text prompted users to pay an unpaid toll fee using an illegitimate link, as per CNN.
When users click on the link, they are usually downloading malware onto their device or are asked to input personal information for hackers to access.
The cybercriminals behind this scheme are trying to get access to important financial data or records.
“Wow – the MDOT text message scam asking for toll charges is very convincing,” Gary Naeyaert posted on Facebook.
Some of his followers noted that people who have traveled recently are more likely to click on the scam message.
“Yes we almost fell for it because we had just gotten back from Florida,” commented another user.
“I got one the day after crossing a bridge in Bay City that had a toll. I almost fell for it,” echoed another.
The FBI said there are certain red flags to look for to avoid falling for one of these SMS scams.
“The texts may include a link that looks like it’s from the state’s toll service and may include a phone number,” according to the FBI.
What makes the text so convincing is that the message is tailored to a driver’s location, said Steve Grobman, executive vice president and chief technology officer at McAfee.
“They’re able to use the recipient’s location anything from as simple as their area code, but also with a lot of the data breaches over the last few years, they know physically where people live or have lived, and can then target them with location-relevant toll scam,” Grobman said.
There was a massive spike in toll scams between January and February, according to McAfee.
After reviewing the messages, McAfee found that 76% of the messages provided links using URL shorteners like bit.ly that concealed the actual scam websites.
How to Avoid SMS Scams
Here are some red flags to look out for in scam texts:
Receiving a text message that says you owe tolls when you haven’t used a toll road recently is a major red flag Links that seem to be from a toll authority but lead to a suspicious or fake website are dangerous Messages that create a sense of urgency, like threats of fines or legal action if you don’t pay immediately, are often scams Legitimate organizations usually write well-formatted messages without typos or grammatical errors Scammers often use numbers or emails that you don’t recognize Messages that address you with generic titles like “Dear Customer” instead of your name or don’t mention your vehicle information are likely scamsDrivers look at domains like “.vip,” “.top,” and “.xin,” which lead them to believe they are official websites.
The FBI cautions people to avoid clicking on any suspicious links via text messages.
“Remember that companies generally don’t contact you to ask for your username or password,” guidance from the FBI states.
“Don’t click on anything in an unsolicited email or text message. Look up the company’s phone number on your own (don’t use the one a potential scammer is providing) and call the company to ask if the request is legitimate.”
If drivers believe the message might be real, they are prompted to contact their state’s tolling service through an official website or phone number.
“People need to recognize that scammers are trying to create situations that create fear, anxiety and a sense of urgency,” Grobman said.
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