If you receive a text claiming you owe money for unpaid road tolls, the FTC warns that “it’s probably a scam.” According to the agency, “scammers are pretending to be tolling agencies from coast to coast and sending texts demanding money.” The risks go beyond financial loss—”not only is the scammer trying to steal your money, but if you click the link, they could get your personal info (like your driver’s license number) — and even steal your identity,” as reported by Forbes.

According to the FBI, this scheme has been spreading from state to state since March 2024, as reported by WBTV. Reports of the scam have surfaced in Massachusetts, California, North and South Carolina, Illinois, Colorado, Florida, Texas, Connecticut, Minnesota, and Washington. The fraudulent texts mimic real toll collection services by using names and logos similar to official agencies, making them more convincing to unsuspecting recipients.

According to Phone Arena, authorities have emphasized that these messages should be deleted immediately and recipients should take action to report the scam. The FBI urges recipients to verify toll charges only through official websites or customer service numbers of their respective toll authorities. The FTC advises against clicking any links in unsolicited text messages and suggests reporting such texts as spam by forwarding them to 7726 (SPAM). If financial information has been entered into a fraudulent website, affected individuals should contact their banks immediately, dispute any unauthorized transactions, and monitor their accounts for suspicious activity.

Security analysts believe the scam may be linked to sophisticated phishing kits developed by cybercriminal groups, potentially originating from China. These kits allow scammers to create realistic-looking fake websites that specifically target mobile users. Law enforcement agencies are investigating the extent of the operation and working to shut down fraudulent domains.

This scam is part of a broader wave of cyber fraud, including fraudulent banking alerts, fake tech support calls, and impersonations of government agencies. Cybersecurity experts warn that as artificial intelligence enhances phishing tactics, these scams may become even harder to detect.

For now, the best defense remains vigilance. Users should avoid clicking on links in unsolicited messages, independently verify toll charges through official sources, and report scam texts to authorities. If a scam text is received, deleting it immediately is the safest course of action.

The post FBI and FTC Warn U.S. Mobile Users About Dangerous Toll Payment Scam appeared first on My Daily Magazine - Art, Design, DIY, Fashion and Beauty !.

If you receive a text claiming you owe money for unpaid road tolls, the FTC warns that “it’s probably a scam.” According to the agency, “scammers are pretending to be tolling agencies from coast to coast and sending texts demanding money.” The risks go beyond financial loss—”not only is the scammer trying to steal your money, but if you click the link, they could get your personal info (like your driver’s license number) — and even steal your identity,” as reported by Forbes.

According to the FBI, this scheme has been spreading from state to state since March 2024, as reported by WBTV. Reports of the scam have surfaced in Massachusetts, California, North and South Carolina, Illinois, Colorado, Florida, Texas, Connecticut, Minnesota, and Washington. The fraudulent texts mimic real toll collection services by using names and logos similar to official agencies, making them more convincing to unsuspecting recipients.

According to Phone Arena, authorities have emphasized that these messages should be deleted immediately and recipients should take action to report the scam. The FBI urges recipients to verify toll charges only through official websites or customer service numbers of their respective toll authorities. The FTC advises against clicking any links in unsolicited text messages and suggests reporting such texts as spam by forwarding them to 7726 (SPAM). If financial information has been entered into a fraudulent website, affected individuals should contact their banks immediately, dispute any unauthorized transactions, and monitor their accounts for suspicious activity.

Security analysts believe the scam may be linked to sophisticated phishing kits developed by cybercriminal groups, potentially originating from China. These kits allow scammers to create realistic-looking fake websites that specifically target mobile users. Law enforcement agencies are investigating the extent of the operation and working to shut down fraudulent domains.

This scam is part of a broader wave of cyber fraud, including fraudulent banking alerts, fake tech support calls, and impersonations of government agencies. Cybersecurity experts warn that as artificial intelligence enhances phishing tactics, these scams may become even harder to detect.

For now, the best defense remains vigilance. Users should avoid clicking on links in unsolicited messages, independently verify toll charges through official sources, and report scam texts to authorities. If a scam text is received, deleting it immediately is the safest course of action.

The post FBI and FTC Warn U.S. Mobile Users About Dangerous Toll Payment Scam appeared first on My Daily Magazine - Art, Design, DIY, Fashion and Beauty !.