If you received an email about an outstanding toll balance from an Indiana government account, it was likely part of a wide-reaching scam involving a hacked email provider.
That’s according to state officials with the Indiana Office of Technology, who said in a statement that a former email provider for the state was hacked, allowing accounts to send out fraudulent emails claiming that residents owed money on unpaid tolls in the “TxTag” system, which covers drivers in Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma.
“The Indiana Office of Technology (IOT) is aware of fraudulent messages purportedly sent by state agencies about collecting tolls,” a statement read. “These messages are scams, and users should not click on any of the links.”
Officials say the company’s contract with the state ended in December, but state accounts were not removed. A contractor’s account was then hacked, allowing for messages to be sent.
Officials say they are “unaware” of any ongoing infiltration of state systems.
A barrage of emails went out Tuesday morning from a variety of accounts linked to Indiana government departments, including the Department of Natural Resources, the State Board of Education, and even the governor’s office.
The phony emails claimed that residents had “unpaid toll fees” of varying amounts, and warned of the potential for penalties or vehicle registration holds.
It then included a URL to pay the balance down.
Attorney General Todd Rokita issued an alert on the emails and text messages, urging residents never to click on links in unsolicited emails and to report any scam emails to the Federal Trade Commission.
“Scammers are relentless in exploiting hardworking Hoosiers, and these fake TxTag emails are no exception,” he said. “We’re fighting back against fraudsters, but Hoosiers must stay vigilant. Never click links or share personal information from unsolicited emails.”
Residents are also urged to verify any toll-related issues through the official TxTag website, and to report suspicious emails to the Attorney General’s office via its consumer website.
The Texas Department of Transportation says it does not send texts or emails about past due balances, and urged residents to call their office if they had any questions.
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