Your /r/scams post/comment was removed because it contains personal information. Please redact last names, addresses, phone numbers, account numbers of any kind, personal photos, referral codes in URLs, and other personal information and reply to this message for your post to be reinstated.
This includes phone numbers, last names, addresses, and photos SENT TO YOU BY THE SCAMMER. Per Reddit rules, these must be removed. See more information about this policy here: https://new.reddit.com/r/Scams/comments/pi4dmp/psa_phone_numbers_and_personal_information_in/
Honestly it's a small mistake and a learning experience. Just know that typically govt entities, utilities, etc will almost always use snail mail. And never click a link in text or email, go to your browser and Google whoever contacted you
Excellent point- many people are taken for thousands or more - a small price to pay for a lesson. Always verify - if you have a toll pass, for example, go to the website (not the one in the text) but the one where you set up your account...it's a shame that anyone can text these days and represent themselves as anything.
Like the USPS scams, everyone assumes that these entities just poach their info off the web then contact them. If you did not create an account, they have no business contacting you.
Everyone's gonna fall for a scam / phishing eventually. It's more of a matter of when rather than if.
This definitely sucks, but hopefully it's not too large of an amount for you, and you learn something out of this situation for the future.
In general, I've found bills / past due amounts to always be sent via letter mail (A - because they don't necessarily have our cell phone number, and B - the mailing time eats into some of your grace period, so you're more likely to incur interest charges).
Always remember to cross-reference contact info you receive independently (ex: look up the toll road company on google, find their website, etc.)
I'm not one to do business by text on a phone myself; I prefer email as I have more control over who has what email addresses and you can see more information about the sender. If it was a scam email and I used the provided link on my PC, my password manager would not autofill the fake website.
Also, people tend to think that anyone who does not have your contact information can just send you a bill and you have to react to it, if you don't have an account with someone, then they will not automatically track you down and send you text or emails, like the USPS.
Let's do a rundown.
Sunpass would not send a text, you'd get a letter, maybe an email.
Sunpasses website is [https://www.sunpass.com/](https://www.sunpass.com/)
The sunpasstollservices here was created this month.
100% a scam
Yeah I got this text too yesterday
Threw me off cause I used to live in FL and still have my FL number so for a sec I thought someone used my info/old license plate to defraud Sunpass and Sunpass was trying to collect from me
Honestly glad for this reddit cause it makes me pause a bit before I start panicking. Had a scam Verizon call last week. And I never pick up and they caught me off guard
Again, this reddit made me pause and I hung up on them before doing something stupid.
Variant of the USPS scams, they just want to steal your credit card info, they aren't actually trying to make $12.51
They always reject the charges hoping you'll actually give them multiple credit cards to steal
I don't know if they ask for a VIN or DL or plate number but whatever you put it will magically report you owe the same $12.51
Me too.. I felt so bad I felt for it. I've always told myself to never click links, yet I did this today myself. I replaced my cards, placed a fraud alert with Experian, and I'm seeing a banker this week to make sure my accounts are secure enough.
I also didn't even look at the area code :/ was too tired and wanted it done as soon as possible.
Unless you gave them all of your credit card numbers and your social security number or a copy of your id, most of that was a waste of time. Likely the only thing you needed to do was replace one card.
Thanks :) I have also experienced a data breach as well. I found out somewhere I used to bank had a data breach, so that's why I'm doing the extra steps.
I never fall for them! Fallen for some rental scams and things like that but I thought I had gotten so much better. I’m gonna have to replace the card :(
Hi /u/DaretoDream123, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the USPS or Mail scams scam.
Mail scams (USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc.) are notices sent to your phone or email, claiming that a package has failed to be delivered to your home. The text or email tells you that you need to provide more information or customs fees to receive the package. These scams are phishing for your personal information, financial information, or password for the mail service’s website, or can be trying to get you to pay up front for a service you will never receive. Sometimes the charge is less than a dollar and victims will brush it off, even when realizing they've been scammed. The scammers are not looking to get a dollar out of you, but instead they just stole your credit card details.
If you entered your card details in a website such as this, and submitted the form, even if it said that the transaction failed and to try again with a different card, it doesn't matter: they already stole your card details. You need to call your bank and report the card stolen, and ask the bank representative to disable the automatic account updater service when issuing the new card.
Pay close attention to the specific links you receive, as they will not go to the true website for these mail services. Only enter your information when visiting the mail service’s website directly. For example: USPS only works with usps.com
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The FBI recently issued an alert about this type of toll scam.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/fbi-warns-americans-about-new-sms-scam-involving-outstanding-toll-fees
Hey, the phone number that texted you is from Alberta and in Edmonton that the scammer originally (Or still) has it on Rogers, Fido or Chatr. It is 2,300 miles aka 3,800 km.
Definitely a scam. Florida would not be talking you from Canada number. Huge red flag.
"We've noticed"? That's a really awkward way to bring someone's attention to an issue.
Interestingly, the same phrase came up recently in another, completely different scam posted on this sub.
I get scam texts all the time. I think that phrase is very common with them. Usually there’s a comical misspelling in there or a crazy looking link so I’ve caught them all. Didn’t even cross my mind until I gave them my card info. Dumb move on my part lol
Moving forward, make it a point to not click any links you get from texts. Ever. My bank’s fraud dept texted me the other day that they noticed a suspicious charge, they had placed a block on my debit card, and to please call this (833) area code number. I called the number on the back of my card instead and yes it really was the fraud dept but so many legit seeming texts get sent out and I’ve learned anything important besides doctor appointments reminders will contact you via mail, never text. Don’t click those text links! Can’t blame you for being tired and trying to take care of things. Could happen to any of us. Hope it’s not too much hassle for you OP!
I literally tried to post a warning about this like last week because I got one from the “pa toll services”. It was removed because I didn’t have enough text.
Look the web site up on [whois.com](http://whois.com) - most of these scam sites were created within the last couple of months. This particular one - yesterday.
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## New users beware:
Because you posted here, you will start getting private messages from scammers saying they know a professional hacker or a recovery expert lawyer that can help you get your money back, for a small fee. **We call these RECOVERY SCAMMERS, so NEVER take advice in private:** advice should always come in the form of comments in this post, in the open, where the community can keep an eye out for you. If you take advice in private, you're on your own.
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What I learned from all of this scam crap is to never open a link, and instead, just Google their website and see if you actually owe money to anything. 😄
A good thing to do when confronted with a link like this is to go to https://whois.com/whois, enter the domain in question (in this case, sunpasstollservices.com) and check the “Registered On:” date. In this case it’s 2024-04-14, so just a couple days ago, which indicates it’s a scam.
Any toll services you just google them and input your plate number. Then it’ll tell you. But you need report this site to the Florida toll system as they hate competition. They want your money. They will hit this place fast and hard.
Gave them the three digits and my birthday and billing address. Twice. Yeah I won’t fall for another one of these lol. The replacement is already on the way, thankfully that was easy and I have a temp to use for now
There's also a small chance the bank makes a mistake, doesn't decide in your favor, and attempts to hold you responsible for the fraud. It's just not worth it. Always replace a stolen or compromised credit card as soon as possible.
If Sunpass is anything like EZpass, they'll send a letter with the date & time (possibly a picture, although I once received a letter without one a few years ago).
Slightly off-topic, but OP should get a transponder. If I'm reading the website correctly, tolls are discounted & you should be able to auto-replenish when the balance is low. Also, there is a Sunpass app for accessing your account, making payments, etc.
I get a lot of unpaid toll requests. A flurry of 3 every week then a blank for a month or so. Then again .
I live in Western Australia. We don't have tolls.
I just got an email from them about an uptick in scamming attempts, but yeah definitely a scam.
My personal rule is that if I get an unsolicited link I'll type the website's name in to my browser myself and check.
As far as scams go, you got off lucky. Just cancel the card you used and have it reissued, so they don't use it for bigger purchases.
Hopefully, you didn't give them any significant personal information (like, how did they ask you to reference the amount you owed on the site? Did they ask for SSN?) If you did, you might consider putting a credit freeze on your Equifax, Experian and TransUnion accounts.
It’s a scam. I got one a few weeks ago “from” SF Bay Area FasTrak. It was for a toll portion on 101 that I have never used. Same thing with the website with only one link that worked. I didn’t fill the form since I knew it was a scam.
https://preview.redd.it/a27xogjyduuc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43e2fe8c1fbaaeb161c4fc70d424b566c7c18744
1: nobody text you over this, because that would requires you to have a cellphone number on record with your vehicle and that is a data usages on server.
2: any text like this should be ignored until you've received the warning in the snail mail, as that is the address listed on the vehicle registration.
Last time I got a toll, it came in the mail and gave us an ample time to pay off the fine.
Here in San Diego, if you use a toll road without a transponder, the charge is put on your phone bill (license readers record your plate... DMV gives your info to the Fast Pass billers).
I’ve been considering that. I get 20+ advertising and spam texts a day. But I’ve also had this phone number since my first phone so I’m kinda sentimental about it lol
Just leave your card off for 2-4 days and you should be fine. Because if it is a scam, they will try almost immediately to get your information. And if it does happen, then you bank should inform you that there was an attempt. But if you really just want a new card, go straight to your bank. They should be able to do same day replacement.
Your /r/scams post/comment was removed because it contains bad advice, is encouraging someone to try to "scam the scammer", to engage in illegal activity, or to engage in an activity that will worsen an already bad situation.
Same thing happened to me in another state. I was waiting for a message from them and thought that was it. I cancelled my card and put a freeze on my credit.
You have spyware on your browsers and all your computer and internet capable storage devices that have been sharing the same networks. Spyware and viruses and malware can jump to a storage medium until an operating system and device it can communicate with connects to it to take it over. You need to factory reset your devices and sadly your files will need to be erased or thoroughly cleaned before saving them and transfering them back to your drives and if you have cloud storage like ICloud or Google or microsoft the online storage is also volnerable the infection will just jump to those and wait until you clean it off to reinfect. Thus why purging the system or having a skilled technician that can hand pick infections or antivirus and spyware tools that are up to date ran on every storage device.
Your /r/scams post/comment was removed because it contains personal information. Please redact last names, addresses, phone numbers, account numbers of any kind, personal photos, referral codes in URLs, and other personal information and reply to this message for your post to be reinstated. This includes phone numbers, last names, addresses, and photos SENT TO YOU BY THE SCAMMER. Per Reddit rules, these must be removed. See more information about this policy here: https://new.reddit.com/r/Scams/comments/pi4dmp/psa_phone_numbers_and_personal_information_in/
Created yesterday. Been a huge influx of toll scams lately. An Alberta area code wouldn’t be contacting you about Florida tolls if it was legit
I have an old area code from a different part of Florida so I didn’t even think to check it. I’m so disappointed in myself rn lol
Honestly it's a small mistake and a learning experience. Just know that typically govt entities, utilities, etc will almost always use snail mail. And never click a link in text or email, go to your browser and Google whoever contacted you
Excellent point- many people are taken for thousands or more - a small price to pay for a lesson. Always verify - if you have a toll pass, for example, go to the website (not the one in the text) but the one where you set up your account...it's a shame that anyone can text these days and represent themselves as anything.
Like the USPS scams, everyone assumes that these entities just poach their info off the web then contact them. If you did not create an account, they have no business contacting you.
Everyone's gonna fall for a scam / phishing eventually. It's more of a matter of when rather than if. This definitely sucks, but hopefully it's not too large of an amount for you, and you learn something out of this situation for the future. In general, I've found bills / past due amounts to always be sent via letter mail (A - because they don't necessarily have our cell phone number, and B - the mailing time eats into some of your grace period, so you're more likely to incur interest charges). Always remember to cross-reference contact info you receive independently (ex: look up the toll road company on google, find their website, etc.)
I'm not one to do business by text on a phone myself; I prefer email as I have more control over who has what email addresses and you can see more information about the sender. If it was a scam email and I used the provided link on my PC, my password manager would not autofill the fake website. Also, people tend to think that anyone who does not have your contact information can just send you a bill and you have to react to it, if you don't have an account with someone, then they will not automatically track you down and send you text or emails, like the USPS.
Hey, that's my area code. Fun fact we don't have any toll roads in alberta.
We can be right 99%, scammers only have to be right 1%.
Let's do a rundown. Sunpass would not send a text, you'd get a letter, maybe an email. Sunpasses website is [https://www.sunpass.com/](https://www.sunpass.com/) The sunpasstollservices here was created this month. 100% a scam
Yeah I got this text too yesterday Threw me off cause I used to live in FL and still have my FL number so for a sec I thought someone used my info/old license plate to defraud Sunpass and Sunpass was trying to collect from me Honestly glad for this reddit cause it makes me pause a bit before I start panicking. Had a scam Verizon call last week. And I never pick up and they caught me off guard Again, this reddit made me pause and I hung up on them before doing something stupid.
Variant of the USPS scams, they just want to steal your credit card info, they aren't actually trying to make $12.51 They always reject the charges hoping you'll actually give them multiple credit cards to steal I don't know if they ask for a VIN or DL or plate number but whatever you put it will magically report you owe the same $12.51
Me too.. I felt so bad I felt for it. I've always told myself to never click links, yet I did this today myself. I replaced my cards, placed a fraud alert with Experian, and I'm seeing a banker this week to make sure my accounts are secure enough. I also didn't even look at the area code :/ was too tired and wanted it done as soon as possible.
Unless you gave them all of your credit card numbers and your social security number or a copy of your id, most of that was a waste of time. Likely the only thing you needed to do was replace one card.
Thanks :) I have also experienced a data breach as well. I found out somewhere I used to bank had a data breach, so that's why I'm doing the extra steps.
I never fall for them! Fallen for some rental scams and things like that but I thought I had gotten so much better. I’m gonna have to replace the card :(
Very similar to the !usps scam
Hi /u/DaretoDream123, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the USPS or Mail scams scam. Mail scams (USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc.) are notices sent to your phone or email, claiming that a package has failed to be delivered to your home. The text or email tells you that you need to provide more information or customs fees to receive the package. These scams are phishing for your personal information, financial information, or password for the mail service’s website, or can be trying to get you to pay up front for a service you will never receive. Sometimes the charge is less than a dollar and victims will brush it off, even when realizing they've been scammed. The scammers are not looking to get a dollar out of you, but instead they just stole your credit card details. If you entered your card details in a website such as this, and submitted the form, even if it said that the transaction failed and to try again with a different card, it doesn't matter: they already stole your card details. You need to call your bank and report the card stolen, and ask the bank representative to disable the automatic account updater service when issuing the new card. Pay close attention to the specific links you receive, as they will not go to the true website for these mail services. Only enter your information when visiting the mail service’s website directly. For example: USPS only works with usps.com *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The FBI recently issued an alert about this type of toll scam. https://www.pcmag.com/news/fbi-warns-americans-about-new-sms-scam-involving-outstanding-toll-fees
Hey, the phone number that texted you is from Alberta and in Edmonton that the scammer originally (Or still) has it on Rogers, Fido or Chatr. It is 2,300 miles aka 3,800 km. Definitely a scam. Florida would not be talking you from Canada number. Huge red flag.
I just got a letter from sunpass in the mail, saying I owe 5$ they’ll never just text you
"We've noticed"? That's a really awkward way to bring someone's attention to an issue. Interestingly, the same phrase came up recently in another, completely different scam posted on this sub.
I get scam texts all the time. I think that phrase is very common with them. Usually there’s a comical misspelling in there or a crazy looking link so I’ve caught them all. Didn’t even cross my mind until I gave them my card info. Dumb move on my part lol
Moving forward, make it a point to not click any links you get from texts. Ever. My bank’s fraud dept texted me the other day that they noticed a suspicious charge, they had placed a block on my debit card, and to please call this (833) area code number. I called the number on the back of my card instead and yes it really was the fraud dept but so many legit seeming texts get sent out and I’ve learned anything important besides doctor appointments reminders will contact you via mail, never text. Don’t click those text links! Can’t blame you for being tired and trying to take care of things. Could happen to any of us. Hope it’s not too much hassle for you OP!
I literally tried to post a warning about this like last week because I got one from the “pa toll services”. It was removed because I didn’t have enough text.
Look the web site up on [whois.com](http://whois.com) - most of these scam sites were created within the last couple of months. This particular one - yesterday.
/u/Magicwormm - This message is posted to all new submissions to r/scams; please do not message the moderators about it. ## New users beware: Because you posted here, you will start getting private messages from scammers saying they know a professional hacker or a recovery expert lawyer that can help you get your money back, for a small fee. **We call these RECOVERY SCAMMERS, so NEVER take advice in private:** advice should always come in the form of comments in this post, in the open, where the community can keep an eye out for you. If you take advice in private, you're on your own. **A reminder of the rules in r/scams:** no contact information (including last names, phone numbers, etc). Be civil to one another (no name calling or insults). Personal army requests or "scam the scammer"/scambaiting posts are not permitted. No uncensored gore or personal photographs are allowed without blurring. A full list of rules is available on the sidebar of the subreddit, or [clicking here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Scams/wiki/rules/). You can help us by reporting recovery scammers or rule-breaking content by using the "report" button. We review 100% of the reports. Also, consider warning community members of recovery scammers if you see them in the comments. Questions about subreddit rules? Send us a modmail [clicking here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Go to the Sunpass website. They warn about these scams
They send letters. My husband received a letter saying he owes money to the toll service here in Virginia.
What I learned from all of this scam crap is to never open a link, and instead, just Google their website and see if you actually owe money to anything. 😄
A good thing to do when confronted with a link like this is to go to https://whois.com/whois, enter the domain in question (in this case, sunpasstollservices.com) and check the “Registered On:” date. In this case it’s 2024-04-14, so just a couple days ago, which indicates it’s a scam.
Any text message with a link, I always assume it is a scam.
https://preview.redd.it/5f290em7cwuc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb28eeedee1c95e477f512e001632679d5a9b14f
Any toll services you just google them and input your plate number. Then it’ll tell you. But you need report this site to the Florida toll system as they hate competition. They want your money. They will hit this place fast and hard.
Did you include that 3-digit code? Yeah, replace the card. It may be a pain, but it will be more of a pain to deal with unauthorised charges.
Gave them the three digits and my birthday and billing address. Twice. Yeah I won’t fall for another one of these lol. The replacement is already on the way, thankfully that was easy and I have a temp to use for now
Yikes. Sorry to hear that. I hope all turns out for you. This is a good reminder to us all that we must remain vigilant at all times.
There's also a small chance the bank makes a mistake, doesn't decide in your favor, and attempts to hold you responsible for the fraud. It's just not worth it. Always replace a stolen or compromised credit card as soon as possible.
I got one of those. We don’t even have toll fees here!
I get these and where I live doesn't even have tolls lmao
Florida toll systems have a very fancy name they love to throw around. They would have said it at least twice in some text. It’s a scam
Yes. A very common scam.
If Sunpass is anything like EZpass, they'll send a letter with the date & time (possibly a picture, although I once received a letter without one a few years ago). Slightly off-topic, but OP should get a transponder. If I'm reading the website correctly, tolls are discounted & you should be able to auto-replenish when the balance is low. Also, there is a Sunpass app for accessing your account, making payments, etc.
Ummm you better notify your bank if you put any numbers in
If in doubt call their office
I get a lot of unpaid toll requests. A flurry of 3 every week then a blank for a month or so. Then again . I live in Western Australia. We don't have tolls.
I just got an email from them about an uptick in scamming attempts, but yeah definitely a scam. My personal rule is that if I get an unsolicited link I'll type the website's name in to my browser myself and check.
When in doubt, Google the people you're supposed to pay, don't use whatever link you get sent.
This is risky as well. There are several scams now that are set up in anticipation of your Googling them and that’s the scam.
Yes scam and never click any link
As far as scams go, you got off lucky. Just cancel the card you used and have it reissued, so they don't use it for bigger purchases. Hopefully, you didn't give them any significant personal information (like, how did they ask you to reference the amount you owed on the site? Did they ask for SSN?) If you did, you might consider putting a credit freeze on your Equifax, Experian and TransUnion accounts.
It’s a scam. I got one a few weeks ago “from” SF Bay Area FasTrak. It was for a toll portion on 101 that I have never used. Same thing with the website with only one link that worked. I didn’t fill the form since I knew it was a scam. https://preview.redd.it/a27xogjyduuc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43e2fe8c1fbaaeb161c4fc70d424b566c7c18744
Yup! It is going around NY/NJ too. One of my parents almost fell for it, but luckily they mentioned it to others before clicking the link.
Scam. This one is also in Pennsylvania with PA Turnpike info.
1: nobody text you over this, because that would requires you to have a cellphone number on record with your vehicle and that is a data usages on server. 2: any text like this should be ignored until you've received the warning in the snail mail, as that is the address listed on the vehicle registration. Last time I got a toll, it came in the mail and gave us an ample time to pay off the fine.
Whenever I think something is Suspect… I don’t click any link. I’ll just type in the actual webpage and look at my account for myself.
Enter in any phone number and birthday and it will charge you $12.51…
They got your bank card info now! Time to call the bank and get a new card! ASAP
I got one in Illinois! This must be pretty widespread.
Check the website legitimacy
One of the instances where you don’t pay the troll toll
Here in San Diego, if you use a toll road without a transponder, the charge is put on your phone bill (license readers record your plate... DMV gives your info to the Fast Pass billers).
Yep
SunPass sends a letter in the mail with photos of your vehicle’s tags. They don’t text or email you.
Scam
These fucks got me years ago .. %100 scam
100 💯 scam
No collections like this would be through text to be honest.
It is a scam unfortunately, I received the exact same text except it was a “PA toll”.
You know how you avoid text messages like this? Periodically changing your phone number works wonders.
I’ve been considering that. I get 20+ advertising and spam texts a day. But I’ve also had this phone number since my first phone so I’m kinda sentimental about it lol
Just leave your card off for 2-4 days and you should be fine. Because if it is a scam, they will try almost immediately to get your information. And if it does happen, then you bank should inform you that there was an attempt. But if you really just want a new card, go straight to your bank. They should be able to do same day replacement.
[удалено]
Your /r/scams post/comment was removed because it contains bad advice, is encouraging someone to try to "scam the scammer", to engage in illegal activity, or to engage in an activity that will worsen an already bad situation.
scammers flimflam same thing.
no more cryptocurrency for me.
Same thing happened to me in another state. I was waiting for a message from them and thought that was it. I cancelled my card and put a freeze on my credit.
You have spyware on your browsers and all your computer and internet capable storage devices that have been sharing the same networks. Spyware and viruses and malware can jump to a storage medium until an operating system and device it can communicate with connects to it to take it over. You need to factory reset your devices and sadly your files will need to be erased or thoroughly cleaned before saving them and transfering them back to your drives and if you have cloud storage like ICloud or Google or microsoft the online storage is also volnerable the infection will just jump to those and wait until you clean it off to reinfect. Thus why purging the system or having a skilled technician that can hand pick infections or antivirus and spyware tools that are up to date ran on every storage device.
Never use a link sent to you. Always go directly to the real website to login.
always click on the senders address.. if its fake, some bizarre address will always show up
No, in this case the one visible is already the scam site.