Beware of text messages claiming you owe money for unpaid tolls, the Maryland Transportation Authority warns.
The MDTA is warning the public about ongoing SMS phishing attacks that the agency said are designed to trick people into paying fake toll debt.
The most recent attacks replicate the look and logo of correspondence from DriveEzMD, which administers E-ZPass electronic toll collections in Maryland.
The MDTA warns against sharing personal information or making payments using the links provided in the text messages.
“We had about 900 calls yesterday, over several hundred today,” said Carah Hall, lead account specialist for the MDTA. “In terms of text messages, I received one as well. We would never text anyone about an unpaid toll. We do all of our business through the United States Postal Service. You will receive something through them. We would never text you to tell you about unpaid toll or anything of that nature.”
The Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland echoed the message, and spokesperson Clay Campbell said there are several ways the phishers obtain phone numbers.
“This information can be found online pretty easily. There are scammers that scrape the internet for information like this. There’s also those massive data breaches, like Equifax was breached. So, these kinds of big pieces of data are just collected and hoarded on a bunch of different websites,” Campbell said.
Campbell said to cancel your credit cards if you fall victim to the text messages, and to reach out if you need assistance.
“When in doubt, just give us a shout. Reach out to one of the customer service centers. Reach out to our customer service line, or stop into a center. We’ll be more than helpful…” Campbell said.
The MDTA said DriveEzMD will never request payment via text message.
The agency reminds the public that the only authorized methods to pay Maryland tolls or maintain E-ZPass accounts include:
Anyone who receives one of the text messages is suggested to take the following actions.
File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). When filing a complaint, be sure to include the phone number from which the text originated and the website listed within the text.
Also:
What the text messages can look like:
If you tapped any link and/or provided your information, take efforts to secure your personal information and financial accounts. Dispute any unfamiliar charges.
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