Attorney General Gentner Drummond is cautioning Oklahomans about a new scam involving text messages about overdue toll charges.
Recipients have been getting messages claiming they owe past due toll charges, with a link provided for payment. These messages are phishing attacks aimed at stealing personal information.
“These scammers are not just after your money; they are after your identity,” Drummond said in a press release. “Oklahomans should remain vigilant against this new scam as well as other personal-identity phishing scams.”
The Attorney General’s Office reports that the FBI has received over 2,000 complaints about toll collection text scams in the past two months. This scam has been observed in eight states, with Oklahoma being the latest target.
The Federal Trade Commission offers these tips to help spot and avoid overdue toll text scams:
- Slow Down: Don’t rush to click on links or respond to the text.
- Verify with the Tolling Agency: If you’re concerned the text might be a scam, call the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority at 800-745-3727.
- Report Unwanted Text Messages: Use your phone’s “report junk” option to report the text.
- Don’t Engage: Delete the message. Once you’ve checked it out and reported it, delete the message.