FBI Warns iPhone And Android Users—Delete Any Texts Received

Nationwide Text Message Scam Targets Drivers with Fake Toll Road Charges

The FBI is warning of a widespread text message scam that's moving state-by-state across America, targeting drivers with fraudulent toll road payment demands. The scam, which began in March 2024, has already affected thousands of citizens across multiple states including Massachusetts, California, Florida, and Colorado.

Scammers posing as legitimate toll authorities send text messages claiming recipients owe money for unpaid tolls. The messages include specific dollar amounts and payment links designed to steal personal information and financial data. The FBI reports that while the supposed outstanding toll amounts are similar across messages, the phone numbers and website links change as the scam moves between states.

Law enforcement officials believe Chinese cybercriminal groups are behind the attacks, using sophisticated phishing kits that include templates specifically designed to impersonate toll operators in multiple states. The scam websites are particularly convincing on mobile devices, making them more likely to deceive unsuspecting users.

"Not only is the scammer trying to steal your money, but if you click the link, they could get your personal information and even steal your identity," warns the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

To protect themselves, drivers should:
- Delete any unexpected toll payment text messages
- Verify any supposed charges through their toll service's official website
- Contact their toll authority's customer service directly using official phone numbers
- Never click on payment links received via text message

Those who have already fallen victim to the scam should immediately secure their personal information, dispute any unauthorized charges, and monitor their accounts for suspicious activity. Victims can report incidents at www.ic3.gov and seek guidance at IdentityTheft.gov if their personal information has been compromised.

FBI Warns iPhone And Android Users—Delete Any Texts Received

 

Zak Doffman

forbes.com

Republished on February 7 with news of further attacks this week and reports into the involvement by Chinese cybercriminals targeting Americans.

Beware — there’s a nasty new threat working its way across America. The FBI warns “the scam may be moving from state-to-state,” and advises users that they need to delete any of these texts received — don’t leave them on your phone. If this scam isn’t already in the city where you live, chances are it will be soon and it’s all too easy to be duped. Here’s what you need to know.

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If you have received a text warning you owe money for unpaid road tolls, “it’s probably a scam,” the FTC says. “Scammers are pretending to be tolling agencies from coast to coast and sending texts demanding money.” And the consequences are dire. “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.”

The scam is stupidly simple, a text pretending to be from the local agency with a dollar amount and a link to pay. This is a phishing attack — or a smishing attack to be more exact, given this is almost always a text rather than an email.

Last month alone, there were media reports from Massachusetts, California, North and South Carolina, Illinois, Colorado, Florida and more. It’s always the same style of text and it’s always a scam. This has become a national level issue. A viral threat.

The FBI says it began receiving reports of the scam in March 2024, with thousands of citizens “reporting smishing texts representing road toll collection services” since then. The texts, the bureau says, “claim the recipient owes money for unpaid tolls and contain almost identical language. The ‘outstanding toll amount’ is similar… However, the link provided within the text is created to impersonate the state’s toll service name, and phone numbers appear to change between states.”

The latest city to warn of the scam is Great Falls, which posted its alert on X on Thursday, telling citizens “This is a SCAM and is not coming from the City of Great Falls. Please do not click the link in the message.”

The FBI’s advice is simple and it will ensure you don’t join the thousands already duped. “Check your account using the toll service’s legitimate website [or] contact the toll service’s customer service phone number.” And then, critically, you should delete any of these texts received. You don’t want these malicious links on your phone.

If you have already fallen victim, “take efforts to secure your personal information and financial accounts [and] dispute any unfamiliar charges.“ This might mean contacting your bank or credit card if you’ve already paid, and if you’ve given address details be wary of any new applications for credit or other services in your name.

According to KnowBe4, “similar scams have been reported in other states, including Florida (targeting SunPass users), Texas (North Texas Toll Authority), California, Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, and Washington. These phishing attacks often involve realistic-looking websites that mimic official toll authority sites but only function on mobile devices, making them even more convincing to unsuspecting users."

The likely culprit is thought to be gangs using “updated commercial phishing kits developed by Chinese cybercriminal groups. These kits now include templates designed specifically to impersonate toll operators in multiple states.” Beyonds tolls, these criminal gangs “have used similar tactics to impersonate shipping companies, tax agencies, and immigration services, often targeting individuals new to a country or in vulnerable positions. The ultimate goal is to steal payment card details, add them to mobile wallets, and make fraudulent purchases or launder money through shell companies.”

This joins the scourge of other viral scams targeting citizens. To these toll smishing attacks, you can add phantom hacker banking attacks, fraudulent support calls and even make-believe police officers demanding payments to avoid arrest.

Text scams in particular are surging. The example this week of a woman in Florida falling victim to a scammer who “knew her name and convinced her that her phone had been hacked, [who then] instructed her to withdraw thousands of dollars from her bank and deposit it into a secure cryptocurrency account to protect her funds,” is common. And it’s not just the U.S., this is a global problem. Yesterday, an energy company in Europe warned 1 million customers to delete fake SMS messages from the company.

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The advice is always simple. Don’t take unsolicited calls from banks or tech support. Never agree to install software or move money. Don’t pay cold calling cops asking for cash. And never click on toll links that turn up unexpectedly in text messages. Stick to these basics and you’ll kill any attempts to scam you right at the start.

 

thetollroads.com

Important Customer Advisory Regarding Nationwide Text Phishing Scam

1–2 minutes

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The Toll Roads is advising drivers to disregard phishing texts being sent to their phones that detail a specific outstanding toll amount. If you receive a text and are unsure, The Toll Roads customers can verify valid text notifications by logging into their account. On the dashboard, scroll down to account security and click “Notification Verification” or use the direct link at https://secure.thetollroads.com/accounts/notification-verification.

The Toll Roads do not send text messages to non-accountholders.

If you receive a phishing text, please file a complaint at www.ic3.gov. This is a site dedicated to sharing information on Internet crimes across law enforcement agencies.

What to do if you responded to a phishing text? 

If you think your information has been compromised involving credit card, bank account number or personal information, go to IdentityTheft.gov. There you’ll see steps to take including immediately contacting your bank or credit card company to report the incident and cancel your credit card.

Sample Phishing Texts

Got a text about unpaid tolls? It’s probably a scam

consumer.ftc.gov

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Whether you’ve driven through a toll recently or not, you might’ve gotten a text saying you owe money for unpaid tolls. It’s probably a scam. Scammers are pretending to be tolling agencies from coast to coast and sending texts demanding money. Learn how the scam works so you can avoid it.

You get a text out of the blue that says you have unpaid tolls and need to pay immediately. The scammy text might show a dollar amount for how much you supposedly owe and include a link that takes you to a page to enter your bank or credit card info — but it’s a phishing scam. 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.

To avoid a text scam like this:

• Don’t click on any links in, or respond to, unexpected texts. Scammers want you to react quickly, but it’s best to stop and check it out.
• Check to see if the text is legit. Reach out to the state’s tolling agency using a phone number or website you know is real — not the info from the text.
• Report and delete unwanted text messages. Use your phone’s “report junk” option to report unwanted texts to your messaging app or forward them to 7726 (SPAM). Once you’ve checked it out and reported it, delete the text.

Learn more about spotting and avoiding text scams at ftc.gov/textscams.