Have you received a text asking you to pay an overdue toll charge to avoid incurring late fees or penalties? While the text could be genuine, scammers are targeting people with similar messages nationwide.

So, how does the toll payment scam work, how can you spot it, and what should you do if you encounter it?

How Does the Toll Payment Scam Work?

The toll payment scam is asmishing scamwhere scammers pose as representatives from a tolling agency and send a text message claiming that the recipient has unpaid tolls. They add a link that directs recipients to a website where they are instructed to pay the overdue toll charges.

Believing the message to be genuine, recipients click the link and are directed to afake websiteclosely resembling the official website of the toll collection agency, appearing authentic. Unaware, recipients proceed to make the payment through this counterfeit website, inadvertently sending the funds to the scammers.

As a result, victims not only lose their money but also expose their personal and financial information to scammers, who can then use it for fraudulent activities. The FBI, on theirofficial website, recently reported an increase in such scams and instructed drivers to be vigilant. But how can you identify such a scam?

How to Spot a Toll Payment Scam

If you pay close attention, spotting a fake toll payment scam text is simple. Here are a few signs that might indicate you’re dealing with a scam:

attempt to remain calm and ask yourself these questions; you’ll figure out whether it’s a scam or not quickly.

What Should You Do When You Receive a Toll Payment Message

When you receive a text about an undue toll payment, check the phone number it came from and confirm it belongs to the tolling agency mentioned in the text.

On the official website, enter your license number and other details to check if there is an overdue toll fee. If there is, call the tolling agency’s official number and speak to a representative to confirm. Only pay the charge if you’re sure it’s legitimate.

If the text turns out to be a scam,file a complaint with IC3, including the phone number you received the text from and the link to the fake website mentioned. Also, delete the fake text andblock the numberto avoid further phishing messages.

If you’ve already clicked on a phishing link, ensure your phone hasn’t been hacked, change passwords saved on the browser, and take other necessary precautions. If you’ve exposed your financial details, freeze your credit or debit card (or the account itself) to prevent misuse.

Hopefully, you now understand how toll payment scams work and how to protect yourself. Since such scams are on the rise, spread the word to your contacts to raise awareness.