El Paso County DMV warning of ongoing scam
El Paso County said many DMV customers have reported getting text messages claiming they have an unpaid toll balance and must click a link to make a payment. El Paso County warned the messages are not legitimate and should be ignored.
RELATED COVERAGE: CDOT warns of Express Lane toll scam
According to El Paso County, the messages often come from foreign phone numbers and contain a payment link designed to steal personal and financial information, some county employees have gotten the messages on both personal and work phones.
El Paso County said if you get one of these messages do not click the link, report the message as spam, and block the sender. You can verify toll balances directly by visiting the official ExpressToll website or by calling customer service at (303) 537-3470.
El Paso County said official toll agencies do not send payment requests through unsolicited text messages.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
Delete Any Message On Your Smartphone If You See This Word
American smartphone users are under attack from billions of malicious text messages courtesy of organized criminal gangs in China. Whether unpaid tolls, undelivered packages or DMV motoring offenses, the theme is the same. An urgent threat with a payment link that directs to a fake website which steals your financial details. Proofpoint warns that 'there was a 2,534% increase' in such threats last year, and nothing has changed since. Guardio has just detected 'a new wave of DMV scam texts hitting the U.S. In just the past week, its team has spotted a 56.8% rise in DMV scam texts, with August 11 marking the peak so far.' While it's easy to avoid these malicious texts if you know to beware a particular lure. Unpaid tolls and DMV offenses have generated a tidal wave of publicity, and most Americans will have seen at least some of this by now. But these lures can be easily changed. The one thing that doesn't change, though, is the use of a malicious link. Sometimes that's enough to raise a red flag. While there are clever ruses, where attackers design URLs that use dashes to form a '[.TEXT]-COM' which might trick a cursory glance into thinking it's a genuine .COM address. But usually it's much easier to quickly detect the issue and determine the text is a malicious fake (1,2,3). In the most recent 'Ranking of TLDs by Phishing Domains,' from May through July this year, the top level domain (TLD) that stands out more than any other is .XIN. And URLs under that TLD are a driving force behind many of these attacks. It's not the most popular TLD, but it's the one that's almost guaranteed to be a scam. Every single time. Almost 22,000 of the near 50,000 .XIN top level domains are 'phishing domains.' That compares to just 35,000/1,350,000 for .VIP or 115,000/4,500,000 for .TOP, two other phishers' favorites. Nothing comes close to .XIN when it comes to its relative threat. That's why this TLD tops the phishing domain score with 4421 versus 16 for .COM. .XIN is a Chinese domain operated out of Hong Kong. The word means 'new' and claims to be aimed at Chinese tech innovators. Instead it's the most obviously and openly dangerous TLD in the world. If you see .XIN in any link in an email, social media post or especially a text, delete the message right away — certainly never click it. 'For many of us,' Proofpoint says, 'our smartphone contains the keys to both our personal and professional lives. Unsurprisingly, cybercriminals have recognized this is a two-for-one opportunity and increased their targeting of mobile devices. When it comes to attacking users across multiple devices, URL-based threats are the perfect tool.'
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
California's Clean Air Vehicle carpool sticker program set to end in September
Drivers of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids across California will soon lose privileges to drive in the carpool lane solo, as the Clean Air Vehicle Decal program is set to end next month. According to the California Air Resources Board and the Department of Motor Vehicles, the last day to apply for a decal is Aug. 29. Decals will no longer be valid after Sep. 30. Officials said the program is ending due to the federal government not extending authorization for California and other states to issue decals. California officials had originally planned to extend the decal program through 2027. "While the federal government gives the DMV the authority to create the CAVD program, the state must follow federal regulations that are expiring," the agency posted on its website. Beginning Oct. 1, drivers with the stickers must meet posted occupancy requirements to use the carpool lane or risk fines. Along with the end of the privilege of driving in the carpool lane solo, drivers with the stickers will no longer receive discounted tolls. "The federal government's decision to eliminate this smart and popular program will hurt hundreds of thousands of California drivers, and these drivers will have to pay the price," a DMV spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News Bay Area. "It's a lose-lose situation and the state is now looking at other options to provide this service to Californians." Vehicles that are eligible for the stickers include electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen-powered cars, trucks and SUVs. California's clean air carpool sticker program dates back more than two decades. In 2004, the state approved issuing stickers to help promote the development of hybrid vehicles, a new technology at the time. The hybrid decals were limited to 85,000 vehicles and the original stickers expired in 2011.
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin digest: Community Fair, REAL ID, car show, Shakespeare
Every Saturday morning, from Aug. 9 through Sept. 6, the DMV office in Elgin will be offering walk-in services from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., according to the Secretary of State's website. During the end-of-summer Saturday hours, customers can: apply for or renew a driver's license, state ID card or a REAL ID; switch from a Temporary Visitor Driver's License to a standard driver's license; renew their vehicle registration; or apply for persons with disabilities placards, according to a news release found on the website. To check what documents are required for each transaction type, go to Illinois residents going to the DMV specifically for a REAL ID can go online to to access an interactive checklist to make sure they have the documents they need before heading to a DMV. Road tests will not be administered. The Elgin DMV is located at 595 S. State St. (Route 31), Elgin. For more information, including a list of Saturday hours at other DMV locations, go to / Elgin Township will be hosting 'What Makes Elgin Tick?' from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16 on its campus at 729 S. McLean Blvd., Elgin. The day will feature information booths from the township and almost 30 community organizations, a touch-a-truck area with 17 vehicles, selfies with the Kenyon cow and a Hawaiian shirt-clad Santa, the Gail Borden Public Library mobile unit, a bouncy house, pet adoption fair, Dairy Queen and a vintage car show, according to a news release. For more information, call 847-741-2045 or go to The Forest Preserve District of Kane County and the Fox River Helpers will be holding a cleanup from 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 16 at the Elgin Shores Forest Preserve, 772 S. State St., Elgin. Volunteers should dress to get wet and muddy and wear galoshes, wading boots or something to keep their feet warm and dry, according to a social media post for the event. The District will provide volunteers with snacks, gloves, buckets, bags and trash grabbers. This is a family-friendly, all ages event, and groups are welcome. For more information, call 630-762-2741, or email CleaveRobb@ The Fox Valley Chapter of the Model T Ford Club International will be hosting its 51st Annual Car Show and Cruise from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17 from the Avantara parking lot, 1950 Larkin Ave., Elgin. All models of cars built prior to 1980 are welcome to be shown, and registration is $5 that day, according to a social media post. The event will have food for sale, activities for children and a raffle. The day culminates at 3:30 p.m. with drivers recreating the route of the Elgin Road Races held in the city during the early 20th century. The route runs from Avantara onto Larkin Avenue, west to Coombs Road, north along Highland Avenue, back east into town to McLean Boulevard, north to Larkin Avenue, then west back to Avantara, according to club member and Elgin City Councilman Steve Thoren. For more information, go to The Elgin Cultural Arts Commission will present the Goodly Creatures Theatre production of William Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17 in the north picnic shelter at Lords Park, 100 Oakwood Blvd., Elgin. The comedy is a story of romance, mischief and what it means to be in love, according to a social media post for the free-to-attend production. Attendees are welcome to bring folding chairs, picnic blankets, food and non-alcoholic beverages. For more information, including a program for the play, go to
