Fake text messages on Illinois highways spark new wave of scam concerns – NBC Chicago

Have you received a text message from the Illinois Tollway regarding an unpaid toll? You may want to pay close attention to it.

During the July 4 holiday week, several residents reported receiving a text message about an unpaid toll.

“Our records indicate that your vehicle has an unpaid toll bill,” the message read in some cases, urging drivers to click on a URL to “pay your balance.”

The message comes from the “Illinois Tollway,” an indication that the real Illinois Tollway indicates that this is a phishing scam.

“Illinois Tollway advises I-PASS customers to disregard phishing text messages sent to their phones by ‘Illinois Tollway’ that detail a specific outstanding toll amount. If you receive a text message and are unsure, please check your account online at www.illinoistollway.com or call our Customer Service Center at 1-800-UC-IPASS,” the agency’s website states.

The agency urges anyone receiving such text messages to “delete any text message you receive indicating an unpaid toll amount.”

“The toll administration has been informed that this is a phishing scam claiming that recipients owe money for unpaid tolls,” the agency said.

The agency is also asking customers who receive a suspicious text message to report it to the FBI’s Cybercrime Complaint Center.

The text is similar to messages that triggered an Illinois Tollway warning earlier this year.

In March, some people reported on social media that they had received text messages from an out-of-state number claiming they owed toll debts to the agency. The Illinois Tollway confirmed that the text messages, specifically targeting I-PASS customers, were related to phishing.

“The Illinois Tollway immediately worked this weekend with the Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology and appropriate federal authorities to dismantle the fake website responsible for the phishing text messages that were sent to some I-PASS customers,” an Illinois Tollway spokesperson said.

Here’s a look at what you should do and questions you should ask if you’ve received a similar message, according to Tollway:

WHAT TO DO

• When you recognize a phishing message, do not click on any links or attachments.
• Delete the email from your inbox, then empty it from your deleted items folder to avoid accidentally accessing the websites it points to.
• Forward suspicious emails that appear to come from the Illinois Tollway to [email protected].

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

1. Request for personal information: Many phishing emails ask for personal information such as credit card or account information, passwords, etc. Legitimate emails will never ask you to make security-related changes to your account or send emails to collect usernames, passwords, email addresses, or other personal information via email.
2. Sender’s official email address: The “From” line may include an email address that appears legitimate.
3. False allegations: Many phishing emails contain false claims about your account status and ask you to update or validate your account by clicking a link embedded in the email. Some may also include a false sense of urgency and indicate that your account may be at risk if it is not updated immediately.
4. Fake links: Many phishing emails contain links that appear valid, but take you to a fake site. Never click on these links, as the URL (webpage address) displayed may appear legitimate, but may actually display a different URL when you hover over the link.
5. Attachments: Never click on attachments as they may lead you to download spyware or a virus.
6. Poor spelling and grammar: Many phishing emails contain typos and poor grammar in their content.
7. Scammers use graphics in emails that appear to be connected to legitimate websites, but actually direct you to fake fraudulent sites or legitimate-looking pop-ups.

Earlier this year, Tollway made a major change for I-PASS customers, switching from windshield transponders to stickers.

“The Illinois Tollway continues to adopt new toll technologies as it evolves, and I-PASS toll tags mark the latest evolution in toll collection,” the agency said in a statement in January. “Toll tags are being adopted by toll agencies across the country and by the Illinois Tollway because they provide a convenient, reliable and less expensive travel experience for our customers.”

You can find more information about I-Pass stickers and how they work here.