And as more people are out there on the roads, scammers are eager to cash in.
Drivers across the country are receiving fraudulent text messages claiming they haveunpaid tolls.
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[00:00:01] Bob: This week on The Perfect Scam.
People do feel that sense of urgency, but that’s why they’re doing it.
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[00:00:37] Bob: Welcome back to The Perfect Scam.
I’m your host, Bob Sullivan.
On the East Coast they call it an Easy Pass.
So today is a special bonus episode.
Electronic tolling, like so many other modern electronic conveniences, is being abused by criminals.
Um, but right now I have to get right into an important question I have.
I think you know that I used to live in Seattle.
[00:03:00] Eva Velasquez: I’m ready.
Now, of course, I stopped immediately and thought, how could I have an unpaid toll?
I’d better choose this.
So what is this text message, Eva?
First of all, it, it’s a scam, this message isn’t real, right?
[00:03:43] Eva Velasquez: Absolutely.
This is a scam.
Unfortunately, we’re seeing these toll road scams really proliferating all across the country.
These text messages, they are a scam, and it’s not just the toll roads.
So they’re using that geography, your area code on your, with your phone number.
And, and we’re seeing this across numerous states.
The list goes, goes on and on and it, and it’s ever-growing.
That sounds like a lot of complaints in a short span of time.
Think about the cost.
The toll fee is usually a very small amount.
For you, you said it was $6, but there, there could be a late fee.
That’s the fear of consequences that we’re seeing.
That’s the hook.
[00:06:50] Eva Velasquez: Well and think about it.
Because you’re right.
That feeling of I must react, but there’s something real here.
And it is infuriating.
So it is real.
People do feel that sense of urgency, but that’s why they’re doing it.
[00:07:48] Bob: Okay, so if I did press that link, what happens?
What are they really trying to ultimately do to me?
[00:07:53] Eva Velasquez: They’re trying to get your financial information and other identity credentials.
They’re either going to have a go at get you to enter payment information, log-in credentials.
It’s about getting your data and your money.
[00:08:19] Bob: Hmm.
And thank goodness you’ve issued this alert back in May.
Why is this still happening?
And it’s more complicated than that.
So it’s sort of like playing a game of whack-a-mole.
The, the Washington State version of Easy Pass is called Good to Go.
And that the URL that they sent to me was mygoodtogotoll.com.
Most of the, the names and the domains look very, very believable.
And the great news about that advice is that it really applies across the board.
you could go to the source.
They were sending me to mygoodtogotoll.com.
So they know I got this scam message.
But boy, that URL, first of all, that URL sounds really legitimate.
How would I remember that?
[00:12:20] Eva Velasquez: Right.
So you’re not engaging with this company anymore because you’ve moved away.
And we can walk you through that.
[00:13:07] Bob: I, I think that’s really important.
Let me confess a character flaw that I have.
So I’m going to just pay this toll because I feel like now Im a criminal.
I have to exonerate myself or, or dispute it or whatnot.
In this case this is one of those times when take 10 minutes and do it the right way.
[00:13:45] Eva Velasquez: Absolutely.
I think the mantra that I want you and everybody else to remember is react, don’t panic.
Look, I appreciate your honor, that’s an honorable way to live your life.
If I made a mistake, I am going to resolve it and take care of it.
And I actually think that’s a good way to live.
But it doesn’t mean that you have to engage immediately.
That is something that the bad actors rely on.
You are still an honorable person.
[00:14:39] Bob: So what are you supposed to do if you get one of these messages?
[00:14:43] Eva Velasquez: Well, again, I tell people, react, don’t panic.
Do you communicate with your users over text, or do you only communicate via email or phone call?
How do you communicate with us?
Most of them are going to say they write a letter.
Can I report it somehow?
[00:15:57] Eva Velasquez: you’ve got the option to report it to IC3.gov.
It only takes a few minutes to do that online.
But I do want to give people um, I want to manage their expectations.
It’s not necessarily going to be investigated.
It’s going to vary from institution to institution.
[00:17:17] Bob: Well that brings us to an important question.
you might send us an email and our email accounts are listed on the website.
you’re free to message us, social media direct messaging.
I’m trying to get carrier pigeon and smoke signal, but we’re working on that communication method.
[00:17:56] Bob: One thing at a time.
[00:17:57] Eva Velasquez: Right?
I just really want people to take a breath and not react to that.
So I don’t think this is going to die down anytime soon.
It eventually will, but we’ll have this elevated baseline.
I think these are here to stay, so I just want people to be really vigilant.
[00:19:29] Bob: And, and I just keep hearing about them from different states.
So it must be working because these things certainly are out there, right?
[00:19:35] Eva Velasquez: They haven’t slowed down.
So just take an extra moment.
[00:20:05] Bob: Also I want you to know that these scams are ever evolving.
Settle your balance promptly to prevent any late fees.”
bang out the domain of your toll collection authority manually and check your account.
[00:21:15] Bob: For The Perfect Scam, I’m Bob Sullivan.
Call the AARP Fraud Watch internet Helpline at 877-908-3360.
Their trained fraud specialists can provide you with free support and guidance on what to do next.
That address again is: theperfectscampodcast@aarp.org.
Be sure to find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
For AARP’s The Perfect Scam, I’m Bob Sullivan.
