Phishing text messages warning of legal threats and financial penalties are hitting users of Metro Express lanes in Los Angeles County, as well as non-drivers.
Metro officials noted that the spam prompted a flood of complaints from Metro ExpressLanes users, who called the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for confirmation and advice.
Metro officials said they posted a warning about fraudulent text messages on their homepage as soon as they became aware of the scam.
“ExpressLanes systems have not been hacked and customer information has not been compromised,” the message said.
Metro Express Lanes are restricted lanes on Highways 10 and 110 that motorists can use to pass traffic in regular lanes. Users pay based on dynamic pricing that adjusts according to traffic levels. Tolls are collected through a FaTrak transponder mounted on the vehicle’s dashboard.
Metro could not confirm the number of messages sent, the number of complaints received, or when the messages were first believed to have been sent.
“Metro ExpressLanes reminds our customers that we never send text messages that request sensitive information or request payment,” Metro’s statement reads. “If you receive a text message about tolls or violations from Metro Express Lanes, do not respond to the message, do not use the links in the message, and do not use the contact information provided in the message. ”
The Federal Trade Commission classifies phishing as a type of scam in which targeted users receive communications, such as emails or text messages, that appear to come from a known source, such as a business or agency. .
This message asks users to enter personal information that scammers use to open bank accounts and cause other financial harm to scammed individuals.
The FTC also asks consumers not to respond to messages.
The fraudulent messages in question instruct recipients to pay their FasTrak bills by a certain date to “avoid excessive late fees and potential legal action for charges.”
Phishing links are provided, so please do not click on them.
In some cases, the phone number that the text message is coming from may be several digits longer than a 10-digit U.S. number.
Metro officials said they believe scammers are targeting individuals across various area codes, attacking FasTrak drivers and non-users alike.
Metro says there are 40 miles of express lanes across Highways 10 and 110. Additionally, as of early November, 1.6 million transponders had been assigned to drivers in the county, which has made 342.1 million trips this year.
However, FasTrak passes can also be used outside Los Angeles, including the 405 Freeway in Orange County, the 10 Freeway in San Bernardino County, the 15 Freeway through San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, and several other freeways.
Drivers have been victims of scams in locations ranging from San Francisco in March to Sonoma County in April to San Diego in July.
State agent. General Rob Bonta issued a statement on July 1 asking Californians not to click on any links in the text.
“Scammers are literally in our pockets, often just a text away,” Bonta says. “Text-based billing fraud is on the rise, and knowing what to look for is an important way to protect consumers from these schemes.”
