It seems as if every moment of our lives is now spent trying to avoid getting scammed or having our identity stolen.
The Federal Trade Commission has issued a warning to any and everyone with a smart phone: If you get a text about having an unpaid toll, do not click it.
Whether you have traveled recently through a toll road area or not, these text messages look extremely legitimate, and people are indeed clicking on them.
Full disclosure: I got one the other day, and since my family had travelled over the Christmas holiday, I debated on whether to click on it or not.
What stopped me was thinking, ‘How in the world would the toll booth get my phone number?’ We were in a rental car, not even our own, so that’s what made me extra suspicious.
According to the FTC, here is how the scam plays out:
You get a text out of the blue that says you have unpaid tolls and need to pay immediately.
The 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.
This has been something the FTC has been aware of for a few months, but it has recently picked up more steam, and they had to put out an official memo to try to make Americans aware of the danger.
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Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
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