Toll Enforcement Authority Text Scam – Beware!
Imagine this; you’re having a nice day then a text pops in from ‘Toll Enforcement Authority’. It’s a blank text that contains a PDF attachment with the title ‘Toll Violation Notice’. It says you’ve an unpaid toll that is overdue for payment or you’d incur late fees.
This scam has been targeting vehicle owners over the past few days. The text message which looks believable has caused panic nationwide.
What is the Toll Enforcement Authority Scam?
It is a sophisticated smishing scam that attempt to steal people’s credit card credentials and money. Fraudsters impersonating tolling agencies ignite panic in vehicle owners by claiming they have an unpaid toll bill.
In the text, Recipients are directed to click a link to make a payment on a website, but the website isn’t the legit site for the tolling agency mentioned. It’s a spoofed look-alike that was recently created to fool unsuspecting people.
On closer inspection, the text has the following red flags;
- It does not contain vital information ( fails to mention the toll booth used, the recipients license plate number and image of the recipient at the toll both)
- It contains grammatical errors.
- Toll services do not ask vehicle owners via text to make a payment or take immediate action on their account.
How This Unpaid Toll Text Scam Works
The Toll Enforcement Authority unpaid toll texts directs recipients to a malicious website that ask for credit card details for the toll fee. People who provide their credit card info would become a victim of credit card fraud. The scammers would not only deduct the fake outstanding balance but would make huge withdrawals.
Also, mere clicking on the link could expose your mobile device to viruses, spywares, or malware. This is because the website could’ve a malware program running in the background. Malware is software that is installed on a computer without the user’s consent and that performs malicious actions, such as stealing passwords or money. Malware can be installed in a variety of ways, including through email attachments, drive-by downloads, or by clicking on links in malicious websites.
Precaution
Here’s what to do If you received a scam text message;
- Don’t attempt to click on the link no matter how legit it looks. Clicking it would either direct you to a fraudulent website or install malware into your device.
- Block The Sender Number. You can do this by flagging the telephone number as spam.
- Delete The Text Message. Deleting the text message will prevent you from mistakenly replying or clicking on it.
What Victims of This Scam Should Do;
Inform Their Credit Card Company
If you provided your credit card details on this scam site, the first step you should take is calling your credit card company. They need to know that your card details have been compromised so as to closely monitor and prevent any unauthorized charges.
Place a Credit Freeze or Fraud Alert
Fraud alert is sort of like a two-factor authentication process for accessing your credit, whereas a credit freeze blocks anyone from accessing your credit — until you remove it. The credit freeze is the best option for you, if you know you wouldn’t be using the credit card anytime soon.
Scan Their Device with a Malware Checker Tool
There’s a likelihood that your device has been infested by malware or spyware after visiting the spoofed website. Scanning your device with a malware removal tool will detect and remove any viruses, spyware, or other malicious programs.
Did you receive this scam Unpaid Toll Enforcement Authority? Please let us know in the comment section!
