Scam Warning.

Reports of scammers hitting up people with fake toll road bills.  FasTrak, E-Z Pass etc.

Thank you for the heads-up. Definitely an easy scam to fall for.

At this point, I usually don't believe any text that comes from a business or organization unless I know I specifically opted in for text messages, which isn't very often.

It also helps that my phone pre-screens all incoming messages and automatically junks anything spammy or scammy. (I do, however, check the folder occasionally to make sure nothing important slipped through.)

Yep, I got a text from FasTrak within the past couple of days. I haven't used that in years. If something's questionable, find the appropriate phone number (or other method of contact) to reach out to rather than respond to a text, call or email.

Most of the time the incoming texts will come from some crazy +63 962 280 3213 Philippines number and then the site they want you to pay at is http://FasTrakTollTagPayment.vandelayexposts2354.biz/ so if you pay attention you can typically spot them. Always good to calm down whenever you get an alarming text, email, or phone call out of the blue that is trying to get you to panic and do something...there are always tells that you're being scammed.

I get one of these every couple weeks but my iPhone is pretty good at flagging them as probable scams/fraud and then they don't hold up to scrutiny anyway.

People who don't pay tolls aren't tempted to reply.

People who aren't tempted to reply don't get scammed.

Don't get scammed: Stop paying tolls.

I blew through a bunch in Illinois (I think) with a Saskatchewan plated car a decade ago.  I might get in trouble if I get pulled over in Chicago.  If I ever go to Chicago.

Every state along I94 has a different system.  I think it was Illinois that you had to scootch over to the right lane if you didn't have a fastpass.  Once I blew the first one by accident, I just turned criminal.

I'll count on any texts or emails from them being a scam.

Driven5 said:

People who don't pay their tolls aren't tempted to reply.

None of the Florida Toll authorities recognize my address cause my landlord is shady.  As a result i miss tolls periodically and get a nastygram a couple times a year.

So, yes.  You are correct. 

Also speaking of scams.. 

Been selling stuff on FBM lately.  Anything with a VIN the current invogue scam is to ask for a Vehicle history report with some random report that you've never heard of.  They say they will buy the vehicle pending review of this very specific report.  They send you a link (or you can look up the thing I'm sure it works either way) and they  will include the cost of the report in the purchase price.   I'm not sure if the scam is just the dumb report for $39 or whatever it costs or if it's stealing credit card info when you buy this report from the random website.   Either way..  It's up to the buyer to do vehicle history stuff unless you are a dealer and or wish to provide it. 

I'm sure this is not news to anyone here but, pretty much if they want you as the seller to do ANYTHING that requires $$ it's probably a scam somehow.  

But I've had... Dozens of people try to get this one to work.   None of the Codes or vehicle shipping scams which are a bit more obvious that they are scams, just this vehicle history report thing.  

Thanks for posting this.  I got a scam text from "EZ Pass" yesterday.  I was recently on the Indiana Tollway but every toll had a gate and I got a green light each time so it seemed a bit fishy...

Had one of those send me a fake toll text recently when I was feeling grumpy.

I decided to look up what third party companies were involved with hosting the website and registering their domain name, then kept emailing those companies. Eventually I got hold of someone who realized that helping impersonate a government agency could be a bit of a liability.

Good for you, Matt. In the words of the late Leonard Cohen,

I never gave nobody trouble / I’m a law and order man

I never gave nobody trouble / but you know god-damn well that I can

I've been getting those about the 407 for a couple years now. If it were real it would come in the mail.

MadScientistMatt said:

Had one of those send me a fake toll text recently when I was feeling grumpy.

I decided to look up what third party companies were involved with hosting the website and registering their domain name, then kept emailing those companies. Eventually I got hold of someone who realized that helping impersonate a government agency could be a bit of a liability.

One time I was bored and I reported the website to the relevant authorities, and then ran a special script that kept the fake website very busy so it was inaccessible

I got one of these several months ago. I just logged on to the toll website and checked my account.

Old news here in PA. We had this at least a year ago with Turnpike tolls.

I read that the number to call on one Text is the Phillipines area code.