(Tyler, Texas) – Scammers are alive and well and finding all kinds of ways to steal your money and personal information. I’ve had scammers call me out of the blue and start threating me with arrest to pay some bill I had never heard of. I would hang up and no police would show up.
Some people, however, will take that threat seriously and pay the money that is demanded of them. That’s why scammers keep doing it. Now, it’s as easy as sending a text message. That’s what TxDOT (Texas Department of Transportation) is warning Texans as scammers are using our toll roads to carry out their scam.
TxDOT Warning Texans About a New Text Message Scam
TxDOT has been monitoring scammer behavior since April of 2024 when they first got reports of text messages being sent to Texans. The text messages would say that they have been recorded using a toll road and owe a specific amount of money. There would be a link to click to make that payment (KXAN).
It’s that link that will get you in trouble. Scammers can use it to upload malware or other harmful software to your phone that could be used to steal your personal information or even access your bank account to steal your money.
How to Avoid Becoming a Victim
The easiest way to not become a victim of these phishing scams is to ignore the text message. If a toll is owed, you will receive an official notice in the mail, not through text message, email or even a phone call. Do not click on any link sent through text message or through email…