Pennsylvania Turnpike Officials Warn of Text Message Scam Targeting Financial Information

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Pennsylvania Turnpike officials are warning of a “smishing scam” that is trying to obtain people’s personal financial information.

Fraudulent text messages claiming to be from “Pennsylvania Turnpike Toll Services” are being sent to random individuals, according to a news release from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. The messages contain urgent requests and state that the account will be subject to additional fees if past-due payments are not made immediately, the commission said.

People who receive an unexpected text message like this should not click on the link.

Earlier this year, a similar phishing scam targeted EZ-Pass users in Pennsylvania and other states.

THE Philadelphia Parking Authority recently warned residents of a similar “smishing scam” – a scam using SMS or text messages.

For E-ZPass customers, there are several approved, secure methods to verify your account: the official PA Turnpike E-ZPass website or the PA Toll Pay app in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Customers who receive a fraudulent message can report it to the FBI Cybercrime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.