There has been a "significant increase" recently in texting scams that try to collect toll fees from drivers, the California Attorney General said Thursday.
The scams often send a text and link to a fake tolling agency website that asks for payment in an effort to harvest banking or credit card details.
Most of the scams claim to be from FasTrak, California's electronic tolling system, on a fake website run by the The Toll Roads, the AG said.
But California tolling agencies will never send text messages to non-accountholders, the AG said.
“Scammers have become skilled at imitating legitimate companies, sometimes even linking to legitimate websites," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said. "Text-based toll charge scams are prevalent right now and knowing what to look for can keep consumers safe against these tactics.”
How to respond to texting toll scams
The California AG recommends some simple steps for dealing with toll scams:
- Do not click the link.
- File a complaint: Reports can be filed with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Trade Commission and the California AG.
- Delete any scam texts.
- Check account: Go to the tolling agency's legitimate website. A list of operator websites can be found at this link.
- Secure personal and financial information: If you have clicked on a toll scam's link, ensure your financial details are secure by checking charges and disputing unrecognized activity.