Ohio Turnpike toll payment scams on the rise. Why Apple, Samsung can't stop texts

Yahoo

22-04-2025

Those smishing texts telling you to make an Ohio Turnpike toll payment won't stop coming. They're urgent, mean, and may induce panic by lying to you. Most smishing texts will say it's their "final notice," and you will face serious consequences for unpaid tolls, like paying a huge fine or losing your license.
For your information: Ohio Turnpike will never ask you to pay for tolls through your text messages. So don't fall for it. You may have found these scam texts last August, wondering why nothing has been done about it. The scams are happening more frequently, and, unfortunately, it's challenging for major phone companies to prevent them.
Here's what to know.
Fraudsters are finding increasingly creative ways to scare you about unpaid tolls.
According to CNBC, Apple should have a safety feature that strips the link from the text. However, hackers continue to find ways to evade it.
On the other hand, Android has a feature that allows you to add a smishing number to a spam list. But hackers can easily change their number to send you another text.
Ohio Turnpike toll payment scam texts started to appear more frequently on cell phones in April 2024.
Since then, these smishing texts have increased rapidly. Over the past three months, the search term "road toll scams" has increased by 900%, according to CNBC, indicating that many people nationwide have been receiving scam text messages about unpaid tolls.
Ohio is the worst state for spam and scam texts. Residents of the state logged the most FTC and FCC complaints about scam communications per capita, making it the worst state, ahead of Delaware, Illinois and Arizona.
Alongside the Ohio Turnpike, Georgia's PeachPass, Illinois' I-PASS and Florida's Sun Pass are other systems being targeted with scams.
Hackers purposefully use fear and urgency to make you panic about unpaid tolls. Take a moment to pause and realize it's a scam. Don't fall for it, and don't engage.
The Ohio Turnpike informs customers that they will never request payments via text and that collections of unpaid tolls and toll violations do not occur through text messaging. It warns motorists about fake text messages intended to swindle recipients and trick them into revealing personal information, including bank and credit card info, to fraudsters.
In early March, the Ohio Turnpike issued a press release warning recipients of the scam.
"The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission is reminding mobile phone users everywhere to be aware of a resurgence in fraudulent texts from scammers requesting payment for unpaid tolls through fake websites."
The Federal Communications Commission's website lists tips so that you can avoid falling for smishing scams:
Never click links, reply to text messages or call numbers you don't recognize.
Do not respond, even if the message requests that you "text STOP" to end messages.
Delete all suspicious texts.
Make sure your smart device's OS and security apps are updated to the latest version.
Consider installing anti-malware software on your device for added security.
Protect any sensitive personal information, such as bank accounts, health records and social media accounts, by using multifactor authentication to access it.
The FBI recommends that you take the following actions if you encounter a smishing text message:
File a complaint with the IC3 and be sure to include:
The phone number where the text originated.
The website within the text.
Check your account using the toll service's legitimate website.
Contact the toll service's customer service phone number.
Delete any smishing texts received.
If you clicked any link or provided your information, make efforts to secure your personal information and financial accounts. Dispute any unfamiliar charges.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio Turnpike payment scam texts: Why Apple, Samsung can't stop them