CONCORD — New Hampshire officials are warning residents about a “smishing” scam that uses the E-ZPass logo.
The current scam involves text messages that appear to be from New Hampshire E-ZPass, falsely informing the recipient their vehicle has an unpaid invoice based on their use of a E-ZPass lanes, according to Attorney General John Formella and Transportation Commissioner William Cass. The message further states that failure to promptly pay the invoice will result in late fees and encourages recipients to access their account and make a payment by clicking on a link.
Any unsolicited text message, email, or other message from New Hampshire E-ZPass seeking payment for outstanding toll fees is a scam, officials said. New Hampshire E-ZPass will never contact New Hampshire residents by sending messages threatening late fees for failure to pay an invoice. Residents who receive such messages are advised to forward the suspicious message to 7726 (SPAM) to alert their mobile provider and then delete the message. Recipients should never respond to these messages and should never click any links embedded in the message.
Customers who receive an unsolicited text, email, or similar message suggesting it is from the New Hampshire Turnpike or another toll agency should not click on the link. New Hampshire E-ZPass account holders can use approved safe methods to check their accounts such as the official NH Turnpike E-ZPass website (ezpassnh.com) or the NH E-ZPass mobile app available from the Apple App Store, or Google Play store. Those who receive a fraudulent text can also file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
A “smishing” scam is any use of fake text messages to manipulate unsuspecting recipients into providing sensitive personal information, downloading harmful malware, or sending money to scammers
“Smishing” scams will typically involve the unauthorized use of a business or government agency’s official logo and likeness in order to make the messages more persuasive. The text messages will typically create some sense of urgency such as an unpaid bill or undelivered package and will encourage consumers to click on a link to address the problem. In addition to text messages, scammers frequently use similar tactics to target consumers by email and other messaging platforms like social media sites.
For information, contact the state attorney general’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-888-468-4454 or the state Consumer Protection Bureau at doj.nh.gov/citizens/consumer-protection-antitrust-bureau.

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