NY Thruway Authority warns drivers about EZ Pass smishing scam

On By Littum

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If you receive a text from what appears to be EZ Pass NY or Tolls By Mail NY, you should guess it.

The New York Thruway Authority again advises New Yorkers to be on the lookout for scams, or deceptive text messages sent to your phone, as the state agency continues to receive reports of them.

EZ Pass or Tolls Per Mail will never send you a text message or email requesting sensitive personal information such as your credit card number, social security number, username or password, The Thruway Authority said in a Facebook post Monday.

Here’s what you should know.

How you can avoid smishing scams

Over $11 million was lost to over 9,000 reported phishing scams in the Rochester, Albany, Buffalo and Syracuse regions in 2023, according to the Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York. Here is some ways the FCC says you can avoid smishing scams:

  • Never click on links, reply to text messages or call numbers you don’t recognize.
  • Do not reply 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 all sensitive personal information – bank accounts, health records, social media accounts – by using multi-factor authentication to access it.

What to do if you think you have been the victim of a scam

EZ Pass and Tolls by post says that if you receive a message from someone claiming to be from either device and asking for personal information, don’t give them the information they’re requesting. Instead, call the EZ Pass NY Customer Service Center at 1-800-333-8655 or the Tolls By Mail Customer Service Center at 1-844-826-8400.

If you believe you have been the victim of a smishing scam, you should contact law enforcement to report the scam, says the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as well as file a complaint with FCC and Federal Trade Commission.

Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network’s New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Contact at [email protected].