Latest news with #GoodtoGo
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Yahoo
FBI urges public to delete WA Good to Go text scam messages. Here's why
The Brief The FBI and WSDOT warn of a new text scam targeting U.S. and Canadian residents. Scammers send fake texts about overdue tolls, linking to fraudulent websites. Recipients are advised not to click the links and to verify bills via official channels. SEATTLE - The FBI and the Washington State Department of Transportation are warning residents about a new Good to Go text message scam targeting people in the U.S. and parts of Canada. Keep reading to learn more about the WSDOT Good to Go text scam and what to do if you receive a message. WSDOT announced the fake text scam on social media Wednesday morning. "We're getting reports of fake texts warning of overdue bills and asking for payments or threatening legal action," WSDOT said. "These aren't from Good To Go! and link to a fake website." WSDOT is urging users not to click on the link to the fake website. Customers are also encouraged to visit WSDOT's website, to verify if they have a bill due. According to the FBI, these SMS texts, also known as "smishing" texts, are targeting iPhone and Android users across the United States. The FBI is warning anyone who receives these texts to delete them immediately. As reported by FOX 5 DC, cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 reports these latest threats involve the creation of over 10,000 domains with a consistent naming pattern, which are being used in potential smishing schemes. These scams impersonate toll services and package delivery companies in multiple U.S. states, including Virginia, California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Texas, as well as the Canadian province of Ontario. The scam aims to trick people into revealing sensitive personal and financial data, such as credit or debit card numbers and bank account information. The new scheme also targets iPhone users by exploiting a feature that blocks links in iMessages from unknown contacts. To bypass this security, the scam texts instruct recipients to reply with a "Y" and reopen the message, which allows iMessage to display the malicious links, according to Palo Alto Networks. According to McAfee, an antivirus, identity and privacy protection company, the U.S. cities facing the biggest influx of toll road scams include the following: Seattle, Washington Dallas, Texas Atlanta, Georgia Los Angeles, California Chicago, Illinois Orlando, Florida Miami, Florida San Antonio, Texas Las Vegas, Nevada Houston, Texas Denver, Colorado San Diego, California Phoenix, Arizona Seattle, Washington Indianapolis, Indiana Boardman, Ohio The Source Information for this article came from the Washington State Department of Transportation, the FBI, McAfee and FOX 5 DC. Seattle radio legend Bob Rivers dies at 68 after cancer battle Missing Oregon toddler found dead in Siletz River, authorities confirm Father 'deeply concerned' for British cartoonist locked up at Tacoma ICE detention enter Fire destroys, damages multiple Cybertrucks in Seattle lot Bryan Kohberger defense ramps up legal maneuvers in bid to keep Idaho murders suspect off death row To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Yahoo
Don't fall for new ‘Unpaid Toll' scam
Washingtonians beware! We've seen them before, but scammers are always looking for the next big score. The latest grift may look familiar: an 'unpaid toll' text scam that's going global. It's been going on for just over a year, but it's recently made its way to the Pacific Northwest. You may have seen it; a message that pops up on your phone prompting for a minimal payment that needs to be made immediately. However, the last thing you want to do is click the link. It appears to be from 'Fastrak,' the California-based electronic toll collection agency, similar to Washington's 'Good to Go.' But, these texts have been showing up on phones across our state and in Texas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. If you ever find yourself questioning the authenticity of an 'unpaid toll' message, John Goodwin says it's not how they do business. 'Legitimate toll operators are not going to communicate with customers by text asking for money and asking to be paid by clicking on a link to a website,' said a spokesperson with the Bay Area Toll Authority. He says the scam has spread across the United States since last February, affecting other e-toll agencies like 'E-ZPass' across the East Coast and Florida's 'SunPass.' He also notes that a new wave or mutation of the scam seems to evolve every six to eight weeks. Meanwhile, scammer URLs have originated from multiple foreign countries, including China, Russia, and several in South America. If you've been affected, experts suggest you call your bank or credit card company to put an immediate freeze on your account. One of the best things you can do if you believe your cellphone has been compromised is to back up your essentials, go to your settings, and do a factory reset for your device. 'This will guarantee that any kind of malware that's hidden in folders that you can't find, any kind of bloatware that they put on your device, will be wiped clean,' says Abdullah Syed, Co-Owner of Seattle Device Repair. Even though phishing scams like these have been around as long as the internet, Syed says the bad news is, they're here to stay. 'Unfortunately, this is going to get more and more common with A.I.,' says the co-owner of Seattle Device Repair. 'This is going to be something that's not going to go away.' Syed says Android phones are more susceptible because of their software, but to be wary of anything that's not associated with the App Store. He also says to look out for spelling mistakes and never click an unknown link. Treat every message as potentially dangerous unless you can verify the sender. Both Syed and Goodwin stress that common sense goes a long way. If something looks out of the ordinary, or you're getting a text for a toll road you've never used, that should be a red flag. More important, stay alert. Because these scams are likely only going to get more sophisticated.
