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HOUSTON — The Harris County Toll Road Authority, or HCTRA, manages more than 800 lane miles where fees and fines can quickly add up.
But it never sends text messages requesting payment.
“So, that’s your first clue,” HCTRA Assistant Director of Communications Tracy Jackson said. “If you get a text message from somebody claiming to be from HCTRA, it’s not HCTRA. We don’t send text messages.”
RELATED: Text scam targets Harris County drivers with fake toll notices
Jackson said the phishing scam still “fishing” for victims first popped up last summer, but has only ramped up since then.
HCTRA employees have even gotten the text, as have KHOU 11 News viewers.
“I get one every other day lol,” wrote one viewer. “So annoying.”
“I’ve gotten them from people claiming to be from HCTRA and both the NYC and Northeast Division of EZ Pass,” another wrote.
“We’ll send you an email, we may send you an invoice through traditional mail,” Jackson said. “But we do not utilize text messages.”
This scam also features a fake or spoofed HCTRA payment site that looks almost exactly like the real thing.
In fact, employees initially did a double take.
“Everything about it looks like HCTRA,” Jackson said. “But, it’s not.”
Entering credit card or banking info on the page after clicking the link is how scammers ultimately get your money.
However, it’s unclear how many people may have actually fallen prey.
“If all else fails, call us to independently verify,” Jackson said.
Meanwhile, delete and report any suspicious text.