Fort Bend County Judge KP George is warning there’s a fake toll charge text scam going around right now.
The county judge said scammers are pretending to be from toll agencies claiming you have overdue toll charges.
The judge said do not click the payment link. Instead, you should call the agency directly, then forward the message to 7726 and delete the message.
According to a report from our sister station in Austin, KVUE, in April, the FBI warned Texans about a similar "smishing" message that contained a link, stating there would be a late fee if the outstanding balance was not paid. The FBI said the links would lead to websites impersonating toll services like TxTag.
What to do if you receive a toll text
The FBI says you should take several steps to keep your personal information and bank accounts secure.
First, file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) which includes the phone number and website listed in the text. Don't click the link, but monitor your accounts in case you need to dispute any unfamiliar charges.
Secondly, check your account using the toll service's website and contact their customer service line about the scam text. Lastly, be sure to delete any texts received.
What is smishing?
If you're familiar with phishing attacks, smishing is pretty similar.
The FBI says smishing is a social engineered attack that uses fake text messages to trick people into downloading malware, sharing sensitive information, or sending money to cybercriminals. The word smishing combines phishing with "short message service," or SMS.