LOUISVILLE, Ky. — With thousands of drivers crossing the toll bridges between Louisville and southern Indiana daily, RiverLink is warning residents about a new scam regarding unpaid tolls.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released a public service announcement earlier this month warning of the uptick in smishing scams regarding debt for road tolls, which appear to be moving state-to-state.
Smishing, or SMS phishing, is a social engineering attack using fake text messages to trick people into downloading malware, sharing sensitive information, or sending money to cybercriminals, according to the FBI.
The agency's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) said since early-March, it has received more than 2,000 complaints reporting smishing texts that represent local road toll collection services from at least three states.
The text claims the person owes money for unpaid tolls and contains nearly identical language. Police said the "outstanding toll amount" is also similar among complaints.
Despite the similarities, the link provided in the text message is made to look like the state toll service's name and phone numbers sending the message appear to change between states, officials said.
If you receive one of these texts, here's what to do:
- File a complaint with the IC3 and include the phone number and website link, but do not click on any links.
- Check your RiverLink account by clicking here or call RiverLink's customer service team at 1-855-748-5465.
- Delete any smishing text messages received.
If you clicked on the link or gave your personal information, the FBI suggests taking efforts to secure your information and financial accounts and to dispute any unfamiliar charges.
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