Users and non-drivers of Los Angeles County’s Metro ExpressLanes have been receiving fraudulent text messages that warn of a legal threat and financial penalties.
According to Metro authorities, the spam has resulted in a deluge of complaints from Metro ExpressLanes users who have been contacting the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to request substantiation and guidance.
Metro officials stated that they promptly published a notice on their homepage regarding the fraudulent text messages as soon as they became aware of the scam.
“The ExpressLanes system has not been hacked, and no customer information has been compromised,” the message stated.
Metro ExpressLanes are restricted lanes on the 10 and 110 motorways that motorists can utilise to accelerate past traffic in regular lanes. Users are required to pay tariffs that are determined by dynamic pricing, which is contingent upon the volume of traffic. A FasTrak transponder is installed on the dashboard of a vehicle to collect the tolls.
Metro was unable to verify the number of messages that have been sent, the number of complaints that have been received, or the date on which they believe the messages were first sent.“No customer information has been compromised, and the ExpressLanes system has not been hacked,” the message stated.
Metro ExpressLanes are restricted lanes on the 10 and 110 motorways that motorists can utilise to accelerate past traffic in regular lanes. Users are required to pay tariffs that are determined by dynamic pricing, which is contingent upon the volume of traffic. A FasTrak transponder is installed on the dashboard of a vehicle to collect the tolls.
Metro was unable to verify the number of messages that have been sent, the number of complaints that have been received, or the date on which they believe the messages were first sent.
“Metro ExpressLanes would like to remind our customers that we never send text messages that request payment or request sensitive information.” “If a text message purports to be from Metro ExpressLanes and pertains to tolls or violations, refrain from responding, refraining from utilising any links in the message, and refraining from utilising any contact information provided in the message.”
Phishing is classified by the Federal Trade Commission as a form of fraud in which users who are specifically targeted receive a communication, such as an email or text message, that appears to be from a reputable source, such as a company or agency.
The message prompts the user to provide personal information that the scammer will use to establish a bank account or cause other financial harm to the individual who has been scammed.
Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advises consumers to refrain from responding to the messages.
In order to “avoid excessive late fees and potential legal action on the bill,” the scam communications in question have been instructing recipients to pay their FasTrak bill by a specific date.”
There is a phishing link that should not be opened.
In numerous instances, the phone number from which the text message is sent is several digits lengthier than a 10-digit number based in the United States.
The fraudsters have been targeting individuals through a variety of area codes, and they have been affecting both FasTrak drivers and non-users, according to Metro officials.
According to Metro, the 10 and 110 motorways contain 25 miles of ExpressLanes, with 1.6 million transponders assigned to county vehicles and 342.1 million trips travelled this year as of early November.
The FasTrak permit is also valid for use in locations outside of Los Angeles, including the 405 Freeway in Orange County, the 10 Freeway in San Bernardino County, the 15 Freeway, which passes through San Bernardino and Riverside counties, and numerous other express lanes.
The schemes have affected motorists in a variety of locations, including San Francisco in March, Sonoma County in April, and San Diego in July.
On July 1, State Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a statement advising Californians to refrain from clicking on the link in the texts.
Bonta stated, “Scammers are frequently located in our pockets, just a text away.” “It is crucial for consumers to be aware of the escalating prevalence of text-based toll charge scams in order to safeguard themselves from these fraudulent schemes.”
