NEWARK, DE / ACCESSWIRE / April 30, 2024 / The E-ZPass Group is issuing an alert to all E-ZPass customers about a text messaging scam targeted at customers of tolling agencies across the United States. The scam aims to deceive customers into entering their personal data and financial information to a fake website.

Customers receiving text messages claiming to be sent by "E-ZPass Toll Services" that directs them to click a link to pay an outstanding toll balance to avoid a late fee should be aware that this message is fraudulent. The toll account information provided in these texts is neither valid nor accurate.

E-ZPass warns customers to delete the texts immediately and do not click on any links embedded in the text messages. Customers who have clicked the link and completed the form should immediately contact their financial institution and notify E-ZPass of any erroneous information posted to their accounts.

Recently, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a public service announcement warning the public about a wave of fraudulent SMS texts attempting to scam toll road users. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has received over 2,000 complaints reporting fraudulent texts representing road toll collection service from at least three states. The complaint information indicates that the scam appears to be moving from state to state. The texts claim the recipient owes money for unpaid tolls and contain almost identical language. The "outstanding toll amount" has been similar among the complaints reported to the IC3. However, the link provided within the text is created to impersonate the state's toll service name, and phone numbers appear to change between states.

E-ZPass advises customers that if you receive one of these texts, file a complaint with the IC3, www.ic3.gov.

"Scam attacks through emails and text messaging are on the rise in our country and protecting the safety of E-ZPass customer information is of paramount importance to us", stated PJ Wilkins, E-ZPass Group Executive Director. "We will continue to work with our partnering states to alert our customers of any criminal activity that places them at risk, and we encourage E-ZPass customers to be vigilant in ensuring that their personal and financial information is not compromised by falling prey to these fraudulent schemes."

About E-ZPass

In 1990, seven toll facilities from the states of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania joined to form an alliance known as the E-ZPass Interagency Group (IAG). These seven agencies represented almost 40% of all U.S. toll transactions and nearly 70% of all U.S. toll revenue. The IAG's goal was to implement a regionally compatible, non-interfering electronic toll collection system that would not only satisfy the divergent toll collection and traffic management needs of the seven participating agencies, but would also provide regional mobility and convenience to their customers.

Today the E-ZPass Program is the largest, most successful interoperable toll collection program anywhere in the world consisting of toll agencies/companies in 20 states and 58 million transponders. The E-ZPass Program has continued to be innovative by implementing E-ZPass Plus which makes paying for parking at participating airports and garages easier along with E-ZPass-on-the-GO, a convenient package that contains a prepaid tag ready for use that is sold at convenient locations such as participating local convenience stores, rest areas, DMV's or simply ordering online.

MEDIA CONTACT:

PJ Wilkins
(302) 577-1333
admin@e-zpassiag.com

SOURCE: E-ZPass