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It’s a scam that didn’t exist a year ago. Now, it’s the leading cyber scam in America, and Florida is proving to be a huge target for criminals trying to steal your money. If you have gotten one of those suspicious text messages on your phone warning you that you have an overdue toll bill and might have your license suspended or face collection agency action, you have been targeted by what is called toll smishing. Unlike phishing emails, these texts come with links or ask you to request a link to be sent in a follow-up text that then takes you to a bogus website. There, the mock-up of trusted toll agency sites, like those for Sunpass and E-PASS, will try to get you to make a payment or provide bank information for electronic withdrawal. The texts themselves could even install damaging malware on your devices if you click on the links. Some drivers who talked with WESH 2 Investigates and shared their stories of getting worrisome toll payment text messages read some of them for us:”Sunpass final reminder…” “Notice of toll evasion…” “Pay your tolls promptly…” “Pay within 12 hours…” “If you fail to pay…” “It will result in immediate penalty…” “additional late fees…” “And possible legal action on your bill.””It needs to stop! It’s really annoying,” Janet Stanton from Orlando said. “It makes me mad that this is the way criminals are acting because it’s very deceptive. People aren’t sure what it is, and a lot of people will click on it. So yeah, it gets you angry because you know there are people that are not cognizant of it. It’s just somebody trying to get your money.”Despite toll road messages on overhead highway signs that warn drivers, “Scam alert. Do not click toll text,” cyber thieves are still getting people’s money. According to data obtained by WESH 2 investigates, last year, Florida toll smishing attempts totaled nearly 12,000 (11,852) with estimated losses of $20,000.Nationally, FBI complaints of cyber fraud totaled more than 330,000 last year. Toll scams were No. 1 with 59,271 complaints. So, how are cyber criminals getting your phone numbers and texting you fake toll notices?Deep in the dark web. Black hat computer experts use information stolen from corporate security breaches and build a “phishing kit,” a software program that’s sold to other cyber actors, that helps them quickly send toll smishing text messages. They target people living in places with many toll roads, like we have in central Florida. They try to scare you into clicking on links that take you to fake toll payment websites that law enforcement is trying to shut down. “They (criminals) leverage that trust against us to, you know, scam us,” said Brian Herron, the FBI supervisory special agent of the FBI Cyber Crime division in this region. He said agents are working to shut down phony websites as fast as they can, but says you are the best defense.”They’ll make it look as if it’s urgent. The more urgent the message seems to be, the more you need to think about how quickly or if you need to respond,” Herron said. First, you should know that toll agencies send legitimate text messages to inform you when money has been charged to your account to cover tolls.Fake messages? Just look at the top of the text message for the “sender.” Most come from strange-looking email addresses that are clearly not connected to a real toll agency. Sometimes, they look like they come from foreign phone numbers, such as those in the United Kingdom or the Philippines. But those numbers might be spoofed, meaning the cybercriminals could be in the U.S., including Florida.Many try to get you to click on a link or reply “YES” to receive a link to a phony website. The best move is to delete the text and check your toll account or call the toll agency to check for outstanding bills. Stanton reminds us, whatever you do, “don’t click the link.” Both Florida’s Turnpike and the Central Florida Expressway Authority declined to provide an on-camera comment for our report, but released a joint statement:”We will never request payment or personal information via unsolicited text messages. Always monitor your toll activity directly on official E-PASS or SunPass websites or apps.”
It’s a scam that didn’t exist a year ago. Now, it’s the leading cyber scam in America, and Florida is proving to be a huge target for criminals trying to steal your money.
If you have gotten one of those suspicious text messages on your phone warning you that you have an overdue toll bill and might have your license suspended or face collection agency action, you have been targeted by what is called toll smishing.
Unlike phishing emails, these texts come with links or ask you to request a link to be sent in a follow-up text that then takes you to a bogus website.
There, the mock-up of trusted toll agency sites, like those for Sunpass and E-PASS, will try to get you to make a payment or provide bank information for electronic withdrawal.
The texts themselves could even install damaging malware on your devices if you click on the links.
Some drivers who talked with WESH 2 Investigates and shared their stories of getting worrisome toll payment text messages read some of them for us:
“Sunpass final reminder…” “Notice of toll evasion…” “Pay your tolls promptly…” “Pay within 12 hours…” “If you fail to pay…” “It will result in immediate penalty…” “additional late fees…” “And possible legal action on your bill.”
“It needs to stop! It’s really annoying,” Janet Stanton from Orlando said. “It makes me mad that this is the way criminals are acting because it’s very deceptive. People aren’t sure what it is, and a lot of people will click on it. So yeah, it gets you angry because you know there are people that are not cognizant of it. It’s just somebody trying to get your money.”
Despite toll road messages on overhead highway signs that warn drivers, “Scam alert. Do not click toll text,” cyber thieves are still getting people’s money.
According to data obtained by WESH 2 investigates, last year, Florida toll smishing attempts totaled nearly 12,000 (11,852) with estimated losses of $20,000.
Nationally, FBI complaints of cyber fraud totaled more than 330,000 last year. Toll scams were No. 1 with 59,271 complaints.
So, how are cyber criminals getting your phone numbers and texting you fake toll notices?
Deep in the dark web.
Black hat computer experts use information stolen from corporate security breaches and build a “phishing kit,” a software program that’s sold to other cyber actors, that helps them quickly send toll smishing text messages.
They target people living in places with many toll roads, like we have in central Florida. They try to scare you into clicking on links that take you to fake toll payment websites that law enforcement is trying to shut down.
“They (criminals) leverage that trust against us to, you know, scam us,” said Brian Herron, the FBI supervisory special agent of the FBI Cyber Crime division in this region.
He said agents are working to shut down phony websites as fast as they can, but says you are the best defense.
“They’ll make it look as if it’s urgent. The more urgent the message seems to be, the more you need to think about how quickly or if you need to respond,” Herron said.
First, you should know that toll agencies send legitimate text messages to inform you when money has been charged to your account to cover tolls.
Fake messages? Just look at the top of the text message for the “sender.”
Most come from strange-looking email addresses that are clearly not connected to a real toll agency.
Sometimes, they look like they come from foreign phone numbers, such as those in the United Kingdom or the Philippines.
But those numbers might be spoofed, meaning the cybercriminals could be in the U.S., including Florida.
Many try to get you to click on a link or reply “YES” to receive a link to a phony website.
The best move is to delete the text and check your toll account or call the toll agency to check for outstanding bills.
Stanton reminds us, whatever you do, “don’t click the link.”
Both Florida’s Turnpike and the Central Florida Expressway Authority declined to provide an on-camera comment for our report, but released a joint statement:
“We will never request payment or personal information via unsolicited text messages. Always monitor your toll activity directly on official E-PASS or SunPass websites or apps.”
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