Drivers have been experiencing an uptick in reports of scams targeting those who pass through Massachusetts' highway toll system.
The E-Z Pass texts pretend to be from the toll system in an effort to steal your account data.
Why It Matters
Millions are at risk of being scammed due to the fraudulent texts, which can appear authentic if you do drive throughout the state of Massachusetts.
Those who fall for the scams can end up losing their identity if they engage with the fraudsters.
What To Know
What is EZDriveMa?
E-ZPass or EZDriveMA is Massachusetts' toll system, so those who receive the texts can end up falling under the impression that they still owe the system money from unpaid tolls.
What Do EZDriveMa Scam Texts Look Like?
The EZDrive MA scam texts usually target drivers with messages that say you owe a small amount, or $6.99, in unpaid tolls and that you need to pay now.
Once users click on the link in the text, they'll be directed to a site that steals your personal and financial information.
What To Do If You Get a Scam Text
If you receive what appears to be an E-ZPass text, do not engage and do not click on any of the links in the message.
The real E-ZPass never sends out text messages, so if you receive a text, delete it immediately.
If you think you might owe money, you should check your balance through the traditional E-ZPass account.
Anyone who already clicked on the link should contact their bank and credit card company and ask for their accounts to be frozen.
You should also immediately change all passwords for E-ZPass as well as for your bank and credit card accounts.
By keeping an eye on your accounts, you will also be able to easily dispute any charges that arise as a result of the scam.
What People Are Saying
Sandra Glading, Online Safety Advocate from McAfee, told Newsweek:
"These scams involve fake text messages claiming that the recipient owes money because of unpaid tolls. They're designed to trick people into providing personal information or making payments. Scammers impersonate legitimate services, such as E-ZPass, to make their messages seem convincing so they can steal sensitive personal or payment information."
What Happens Next
Glading said the rise of AI has made it significantly easier for scammers to create a higher volume of more convincing text message scams, including for the EZDriveMA scam.
"They're capitalizing on this opportunity and ramping up activity when they see success," Glading said.
To prevent so many Americans from being scammed daily, the Federal Communications Commission issued a ruling in 2018 giving wireless service providers the power to limit messages their customers get.
But Americans still see an average of 14 scam messages daily across texts, emails, and social media, according to McAfee's recent research.
"This volume makes it overwhelming to distinguish real from fake, especially when scammers exploit the urgency and stress of an unpaid bill, which increases the likelihood that people will engage with these scam messages."
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