Earlier this month, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) warned about the plethora of toll road scams in 2024 — something we have reported on several times, with incidents all over the USA from Illinois to San Francisco to Pennsylvania. In recent weeks, a new scam has emerged in Texas, targeting drivers who use toll roads. Fraudsters have set up a fake website, rmatollservices[.]com, falsely claiming to be affiliated with the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (RMA Toll). This fraudulent website is part of a sophisticated scheme designed to trick people into paying nonexistent toll charges and divulging their personal credentials.

How the Texas RMA Toll Services Scam Works

The scammers behind rmatollservices[.]com are using a tactic known as “smishing,” which is a combination of SMS and phishing. They send out text messages to unsuspecting victims, claiming that they have unpaid toll invoices. The messages often include warnings of additional charges if the supposed balance is not settled promptly. To make the scam more convincing, the text directs recipients to a fake website, where they are instructed to make a payment.

Smishing text templates to watch out for:

• Texas Toll Services, our records show that your vehicle has an outstanding toll charge. To prevent further fees totaling $117.50, please settle the due amount $11.75 at [website]
• Your vehicle has an unpaid toll invoice. To avoid a bill with excessive late fees, kindly settle your balance. Total Amount Due: $11.75

Once on the fraudulent site, victims are asked to provide personal and financial information. The scammers then use this data to commit identity theft and financial fraud. They might quickly max out stolen credit cards, open new fraudulent accounts, file false tax returns, or engage in other forms of financial crime using the victim’s identity.

How to Protect Yourself

The real RMA Toll has confirmed that they do not send toll invoices or payment requests via text message. Legitimate communications regarding toll payments will always direct you to their official websites, which is rmatoll.com.

If you receive a suspicious message demanding payment, do not click on any links. Instead, contact the toll agency directly using official contact information found on their legitimate websites. Additionally, if you weren’t expecting a charge for anything, it’s wise to treat ANY unsolicited payment request with caution.

Protecting Your Identity and Personal Info

Scams like this can have serious consequences, including identity theft, financial fraud, and job losses. We would encourage readers to head over to our new ID Protection portal, which has been designed to meet these challenges. With ID Protection, you can:

1. Check to see if your data (email, number, password, credit card) has been exposed in a leak, or is up for grabs on the dark web;
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3. Create the strongest tough-to-hack password suggestions from our advanced AI (they’ll be safely stored in your Vault);
4. Enjoy a safer browsing experience, as Trend Micro checks websites and prevents trackers.
5. Receive comprehensive remediation and insurance services, with 24/7 support.

Offering both free and paid services, ID Protection will ensure you have the best safeguards in place, with 24/7 support available to you through one of the world’s leading cybersecurity companies. Trend Micro is trusted by 8 of the top 10 Fortune 500 Companies — and we’ll have your back, too.

Why not give it a go today? As always, we hope this article has been an interesting and/or useful read. If so, please do SHARE it with family and friends to help keep the online community secure and informed — and consider leaving a like or comment below. Here’s to a secure 2024!