Urgent warning over 'smishing' text scam targeting travelers

Summer road trips are a great way to explore the country, but beware of a new scam targeting travelers: toll smishing.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a warning about the dangers of unpaid toll text scams.

These scams, often referred to as "smishing," are designed to trick individuals into revealing their personal information.

The scam works like this: You receive a text claiming you have unpaid tolls on your account.

The message may include a fake toll amount and a threat of late fees. To avoid these penalties, the text instructs you to click on a link to settle the balance.

An urgent warning has been issued a clever text scam called 'smishing' targeting travelers

However, clicking on the link will lead you to a fraudulent website designed to steal your personal information, such as your credit card number, driver's license information or passwords.

The FBI said they have received more than 2,000 complaints since March. 

Wolfgang Goerlich, a cybersecurity researcher at Boston-based IANS Research, has highlighted the growing popularity of smishing scams. According to Goerlich, the shift from phone calls to texting in everyday life has made smishing scams more effective.

Given our familiarity with text updates for flight itineraries or upcoming payments, a text about unpaid tolls can easily appear legitimate and non-threatening. Goerlich emphasizes the importance of remaining vigilant and cautious when responding to suspicious text messages.

Michael Scheumack, the chief innovation and marketing officer of IdentityIQ, a leading identity theft protection service, has warned of the tactics used by scammers in toll road scams.

These criminals often create a sense of urgency to pressure victims into paying up quickly. In the FBI example mentioned earlier, scammers threaten late fees for non-payment.

If a victim clicks on the link in the scam text, they may be led to a fake website designed to collect sensitive information. This could include driver's licenses, credit card details, usernames, passwords, or even malware that can infect their smartphone.

By providing personal information, victims may expose themselves to the serious risk of identity theft. Scheumack emphasizes the importance of being cautious and avoiding clicking on links in suspicious text messages.

It's important to remember that toll agencies typically don't send text messages about unpaid tolls. Instead, they will send you a notice by mail, according to Dr. Zulfikar Ramzan‘s chief scientist and EVP of product and development.

It's important to remember that toll agencies typically don't send text messages about unpaid tolls. Instead, they will send you a notice by mail, according to Dr. Zulfikar Ramzan‘s chief scientist and EVP of product and development

If you receive a suspicious text, it's likely a scam.

Ramzan also said you should be skeptical of the links in the messages.

He advises that if you suspect the link is legitimate, hover over it to inspect the URL before clicking. A mismatched or suspicious URL is a strong indicator of a scam.

Its also important to watch out for typos or awkward phrasing - a telltale sign of a toll scam. 

If you believe you have fallen for a toll road scam, be sure to contact your card issuer, freeze and check your credit reports, and sign up for identity theft protection.

The FTC says to not delete the fraudulent message before reporting the scam.

'Use your phone’s report junk option to report these unwanted texts to your messaging app or forward them to 7726 (SPAM),' the agency says.