Photo: gsheldon / iStock Editorial / Getty Images
FLORIDA - South Florida drivers are being targeted by a sophisticated scam involving fraudulent messages about unpaid tolls.
The fraudulent messages, designed to appear legitimate, claim to be “final reminders” for unpaid tolls and urge recipients to copy and paste a link into their browsers—a significant warning sign according to cybersecurity experts.
These scams are spreading rapidly, with the FBI receiving thousands of similar complaints from areas including Central Florida, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.
Eva Velasquez from the Identity Theft Resource Center highlights the dangerous nature of these scams, noting that the messages and linked websites are crafted to look authentic, making them highly deceptive.
Victims who click the links risk exposing their credit card information, usernames, passwords, and even granting unauthorized access to their devices.
The Florida Department of Transportation has issued a statement clarifying that payment requests are never sent via text messages.
A spokesperson confirmed that SunPass, Florida’s toll program, does not ask customers to make payments or take immediate action on their accounts through text messages.
Experts emphasize the importance of vigilance when dealing with unexpected or urgent communications.
Red flags include messages with strange sender addresses, poor spelling and grammar, unfamiliar links, and messages that create a false sense of urgency.
To further protect against such threats, cybersecurity professionals recommend using unique passwords for all online accounts, ensuring they are at least 12 characters long.
If you receive a suspicious message claiming to be related to unpaid tolls, it is crucial to avoid clicking any links and instead report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
Staying informed and cautious is essential as these scams become increasingly sophisticated, preying on unsuspecting individuals.
