A growing scheme is targeting residents in Central Florida and around the country through deceptive text messages claiming unpaid tolls.
These messages, which appear legitimate, are designed to steal personal information.
[RELATED: Driver’s license stolen? Here’s what to do]
Danny Jenkins, CEO of ThreatLocker, a cybersecurity company in Central Florida, warns that these messages can seem harmless.
“So, they might seem benign. Oh, I’m going on SunPass. I’m paying a toll. They need my driving license number. That seems reasonable, but it’s a scam,” Jenkins explained.
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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued a consumer alert warning the public.
Jenkins and SunPass have identified that these messages direct users to fake websites that closely mimic real ones, with slightly altered domain names.
These sites are crafted to steal personal information.
Once the link is clicked, users may be prompted to provide sensitive information such as credit card details, driver’s license numbers, or even Social Security numbers.
“So there’s people on the Dark web. They’ll trade 10,000 driving license numbers for Florida residents for X. So, you may not actually lose anything from that transaction, but you may now have your driving license sold to 50 different criminal organizations that will now do other things,” Jenkins said.
Find more from our News 6 Investigators:
If you get one of these texts and think you might owe a toll, visit the official website directly to check your accounts, and never click on links in unsolicited messages.
A spokesperson for SunPass confirmed to News 6 that these messages were not sent by them and emphasized they do not ask customers to make payments or take immediate action via text.
“Customer service is our highest priority, and we continue to alert our customers to these types of scams. SunPass has an alert on the SunPass website (Phishing Alert Message) and social media platforms and has a pre-recorded message on the call center lines informing customers to be aware of these types of scams. The SunPass team continues to monitor the system,” Yasir Mercado wrote in an email to News 6.
For any questions regarding their accounts, customers can contact SunPass Customer Service directly at 1-888-TOLL FLA (1-888-865-5352).
They further advised customers to report suspicious messages to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) by clicking here.
Credit report company Experian also has an article explaining what to do if your driver’s license is stolen HERE.
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