Photo: Getty Images
Authorities are warning residents in New Jersey and Pennsylvania about a text message scam involving toll agencies like EZPass. The scam involves fraudulent texts claiming to be from "EZPass Toll Services," urging recipients to click on a link to pay an outstanding toll balance. These messages are designed to trick individuals into providing personal and financial information on a fake website. The South Jersey Transportation Authority, which operates the Atlantic City Expressway, has issued a warning about these messages, emphasizing that the toll account information in the texts is neither valid nor accurate.
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has received over 2,000 complaints about these scams, known as "smishing" attacks, which combine SMS and phishing tactics. The scam is reportedly moving from state to state, impersonating various toll service providers. If you receive such a text, authorities advise deleting it immediately and not clicking on any links. If you have already clicked on a link, it's crucial to contact your financial institution and notify EZPass of any unauthorized activity on your account.
Stephen F. Dougherty, Executive Director of the South Jersey Transportation Authority, stressed the importance of vigilance, saying, "We encourage all EZPass customers to remain vigilant during this attempted criminal operation and encourage them to report anything suspicious to the Internet Crime Complaint Center." The FBI also advises reporting any suspicious messages to the IC3 to help combat this widespread issue.