Remember the days when a scam could be as simple as buying stereo equipment out of a guys trunk? If it didn't work out you really only had yourself to blame. Today scams are much more elaborate that even the most savvy citizen can be fooled.

DON'T CLICK ANY LINKS! If you are an E-ZPass New York customer, and even if you aren't, here is the latest scam you need to be aware of. You do not want scammers getting to your bank accounts, and they will, if you aren't careful.

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Recently I received a text stating that I have an unpaid toll bill. I quickly looked at the amount of $6.99 I thought, that's not bad, I'll just pay it and get it over with. Then I noticed the name of the sender, 'ez-drivembq'. What the heck is that?

Massachusetts has an electronic tolling program called EZDriveMA. Could this be from them? Nope! According to their official website EZDriveMA will never request payment by text and all links associated with EZDriveMA will include www.EZDriveMA.com. This one did not.

518 News, E-ZPass New York, EZDriveMA, Massachusetts, toll scam in New York
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recommends individuals that receive the fraudulent messages do the following:

  1. File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and be sure to include:
    • The phone number from where the text originated.
    • The website listed within the text
  2. Check your account using the toll service's legitimate website.
  3. Contact the toll service's customer service phone number.
  4. Delete any smishing texts received.
  5. If you clicked any link or provided your information, take efforts to secure your personal information and financial accounts. Dispute any unfamiliar charges.

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Spam texts are listed in the same order that they were received.

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