This week, cybercriminals have been conducting various clever scams designed to steal your personal and financial data. The top scams involve deceptive texts and emails with scammers impersonating FasTrak, Apple, and U.S. and Canadian customs. Keep reading to learn how to recognize these scams and protect yourself.

CA FasTrak Toll Scam

Toll scams have been on the rise lately, and this week has been no different. In this smishing scam, the scammers are claiming to represent FasTrak, which is the technology used to pay tolls in California. Here’s one example of the scam:

The text message claims that you have an unpaid toll balance of just a few dollars, and to avoid the (much higher) late fees, you need to pay the outstanding balance via a link included in the message. The link is malicious, leading to a website designed to harvest your personal and financial data. Any data entered onto the site is accessible by the scammers, and once they’ve got their hands on it they could potentially sell it to other cybercriminals on the dark web or use it for further fraudulent activities, including identity theft and financial fraud.

NY Toll Services Scam

This toll scam works the same as the one above, but this time around the scammers are claiming to be from “NY Toll Services.” Here’s an example of this scam:

The scammers’ goal is the same with this scam, too: they’re after your personal and financial information. Watch out for toll scams — their popularity with scammers doesn’t seem to be waning any time soon!

Apple Pay Restricted Scam

Apple scams are certainly nothing new, but this particular one has been especially prevalent this past week. Here’s what it looks like:

The email states that your Apple Pay account has been temporarily restricted and will be permanently locked unless you click a button and re-verify your account data within 48 hours. Creating a sense of urgency is a classic scammer tactic. They want you to feel pressured into clicking the button and visiting the malicious site it leads to.

Once on the site, you will be prompted to enter your Apple ID email address and password. If you do so, however, you will be inadvertently sharing it with the scammers, who have complete control of the site. If they were to get their hands on your Apple ID account credentials, they could gain full control of your account and potentially sell or leak any personal data linked to your account on the dark web.

US Customs Text Scam

Recently we’ve noticed an uptick in the number of deceptive customs scams, in which scammers impersonate various countries’ customs. See below for two examples of this scam:

Canadian Customs Text Scam

Similar to the other scams in this article, the scammers attempt to trick you into clicking a link, this time by falsely claiming you have a parcel that failed to clear customs. Once again, the link is malicious and the site it leads to is designed to collect your personal information, which the scammers could use to commit further crimes or sell/leak on the dark web.

Security Tips: How to Avoid Scams

Remember these key points to protect yourself from phishing and smishing scams:

• Be Skeptical: Treat unexpected texts and emails with suspicion, especially those requesting personal or financial details.
• Avoid Clicking on Links: Don’t click on links unless you’re certain they come from a trusted source.
• Verify the Source: If a text or email claims urgent action is needed, verify its authenticity by contacting the institution directly.
• Use Trend Micro Check: The newly updated Trend Micro Check can protect you from all kinds of scams. See below for more information.

Protect Yourself Against Scams with Trend Micro Check

With the sheer number of scams and scammers that are out there, staying one step ahead is more crucial than ever. Introducing the newly updated Trend Micro Check Available for both Android and iOS, Trend Micro Check offers comprehensive protection from phishing and smishing scams, spam and scam text messages, deepfakes, and more:

• SMS Filter & Call Block: Say goodbye to unwanted spam and scam calls and messages. Minimize daily disruptions and reinforce your defenses against phishing.
• Scam Check: Instantly analyze emails, texts, URLs, screenshots, and phone numbers with our AI-powered scam detection technology. Stay secure and scam-free.
• Deepfake Scan: Detect deepfakes in real-time during video calls, alerting you if anyone is using AI face-swapping technology to alter their appearance.
• Web Guard: Surf the web safely, protected from malicious websites and annoying ads.

To download Trend Micro Check or to learn more, click the button below.

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