GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Toll road text scams are resurfacing in Michigan.
The Better Business Bureau in Western Michigan says it first received reports about the road payment scams last year. The thieves are impersonating real toll collection services like E-ZPass and EZDriveMA and creating fake companies like Michigan Toll Services.
The BBB says to watch out for text messages that contain links. Scammers hope you will click on them without thinking. Some of the links could download malware onto your device. Others may lead you to lookalike websites where scammers hope to harvest your personal information, login ID, and passwords.
In a news release, the BBB offered some tips to avoid toll road payment scams:
- Watch out for suspicious links. Most scam text messages contain a link for you to click on. Scammers hope their message will cause you to feel a sense of urgency, so you’ll click the link without thinking. Some of these links could download malware onto your device. Others may lead you to lookalike websites where scammers hope to harvest your personal information, login ID, and passwords.
- Don’t trust unsolicited messages. If you didn’t give the company permission to contact you, or you have never received text messages from them in the past, look up their contact information on their official website and get in touch to find out what the message is really about. Do not call the phone number that texted you or any phone numbers included in the text message.
- If you spot a scam text, don’t reply. Some scammers ask you to text “STOP” or “NO” so you won’t receive future texts. In reality, your reply tells them they have a real, active phone number and could open you up to future attacks. If a text message seems suspicious, don’t reply. Block the number and erase the message.
- If you receive a text message impersonating a road toll collection service, report it. You can file a report with BBB Scam Tracker to help warn others about this new scam, and you can search for other reports of the scam in your area. In addition, file a report with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov. Reporting scams helps consumers become aware of scams and helps law enforcement track down scammers.
ABOUT BBB®: BBB in Western Michigan is a nonprofit, business-supported organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. BBB Serving Western Michigan serves 38 counties in the Lower Peninsula from the Indiana border to near our State's capital and north to the Mackinac Bridge. Visit BBB.org for more information.
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