There is a growing trend of scams across the U.S. involving fraudulent text messages that claim to notify recipients of unpaid toll road violations. These messages typically demand small amounts of money, under $25, but often include threats of severe penalties, such as suspended vehicle registrations or reporting to state agencies. The messages are part of a nationwide scam targeting individuals and are being investigated by federal agencies like the FBI, FTC, and FCC.
The fraud scheme uses text messages, which are considered a personal and urgent form of communication, to manipulate victims into providing sensitive information, particularly credit card numbers. Scammers leverage URLs that resemble legitimate toll collection sites but often lead to malicious sites registered under suspicious domains.
Continued growth of this type of fraud is partly attributed to the use of a vast array of variations in domain names, complicating detection by authorities. Cybersecurity researchers noted that many of these malicious URLs originate from servers in China and are increasingly spread via internet-based messaging platforms that avoid traditional spam controls used by mobile carriers.
Experts recommend that users exercise caution with unknown messages, report potential scams, and block suspicious numbers. Vigilance remains key in recognizing such schemes, which can manifest in various forms beyond toll road notifications, including package delivery scams.
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