COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Many central Ohioans received a familiar text scam detailing an “unpaid toll bill” on Friday.
Similar to a text scam that targeted Ohioans in August, this scam includes a sense of urgency to pay quickly and an official-looking link to click. The text scam alleges a “12-hour deadline” to pay the late fees “or the late fees will be increased and reported to the DMV.”
The Federal Trade Commission said any text you get about an unpaid toll is probably a scam, so do not click any links you are texted. Clinking on the link could lead to scammers stealing your personal information as well as your money.
Before August’s text scam, Ohio Turnpike officials issued a news release with steps to identify and combat these type of scams.
Key points for message recipients include:
- Phone numbers appear to be randomly chosen and do not have to be associated with toll road use.
- Ohio Turnpike E-ZPass does not request payments by text. Collections of unpaid tolls and/or toll violations do not occur by text.
- All links associated with Ohio Turnpike E-ZPass will include www.ezpassoh.com and www.ohioturnpike.org.
Here is the recommended action to take from the FBI:
- File a complaint with the IC3, www.ic3.gov: Be sure to include the phone number from where the text originated and the website in the text.
- Check your account using the toll service’s legitimate website.
- Contact the Ohio Turnpike’s E-ZPass customer service center at (440) 971-2222.
- Delete any smishing texts received.
Anyone who has clicked on the link in the text should secure their personal information, watch financial accounts for any suspicious activity, and dispute any unauthorized charges.
