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Did you get an overdue toll charges text? It's probably a scam!

FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2017, file photo, a person uses a smart phone in Chicago. Bank impersonations are the top reported type of text message scam. Learn what to look out for so you can avoid bank-impersonation scams and keep your money safe. (AP Photo, File) (AP, Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

If you get a text about an overdue toll charge, do NOT click any links in it. It’s probably a scam, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Scammers have been targeting drivers -- including those in our area -- with texts pretending to be from a tolling agency collecting “overdue toll charges.”

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Clicking the link in the scam text can lead to a phishing attack, where the scammer tries to take your personal information (like your driver’s license number) — and even steal your identity.

SunPass sent out a warning last week, saying that it would not send texts to customers to ask for payment or to “take immediate action on their account.”

If SunPass needs to contact its customers, it will appear as follows:

SunPass said the scam messages contain a link to a fraudulent website in an attempt to collect information.

SunPass said the company had not been compromised but that scammers are pretending to be legitimate agencies trying to collect “prompt payment to avoid fees.”

SunPass said similar phishing scams have been reported by toll agencies across the country, and the FBI sent out a warning about them.

“Customer service is the highest priority for Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, and we have taken immediate action to alert our customers to this recent development. SunPass has placed an alert on the SunPass.com website and is also notifying all customers via email,” the agency told News4JAX in a statement.

If customers have any questions, they can contact the SunPass Customer Service team directly at: 1-888-TOLL FLA for assistance.

SunPass encourages those who receive a fraudulent text to file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. This site is dedicated to sharing information on Internet crimes across law enforcement agencies.

The FTC also offered this advice to spot and avoid text scams about a fake toll:

  • Slow down. Don’t rush to click on links or respond to the text. Scammers want you to react quickly when they send you an unexpected text message, but it’s best to stop and check it out.
  • Check with the tolling agency. If you’re worried the text is legit, check with the state’s tolling agency. But use a phone number or website you know is real — not the info from the text.
  • Report unwanted text messages. Use your phone’s “report junk” option to report these unwanted texts to your messaging app or forward them to 7726 (SPAM).
  • Don’t engage. Delete the message. Unwanted messages often lead to scams. Once you’ve checked it out and reported it, delete the text message. And don’t engage.

Share this information with people you know so they also can be prepared to spot and avoid the scam. And if you spot a text scam, the FTC wants to hear about it. Go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov to share your story.


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