Don’t let scams take a toll on you

If you’ve received a text mes­sage saying to pay your Fas­Trak lane tolls by a certain date to avoid a fine and keep your license, it’s a scam. Messages about unpaid tolls have been hitting cell phones and email accounts from coast to coast. Scammers are pretending to be tolling agencies in hopes of hooking drivers to steal their money or their identity.

In this age of technology, we’re used to getting bombarded with unwanted emails and texts offering services, selling prod­ucts or asking for support. We either tune them out or delete the messages altogether, except when we’re told we owe money. That’s exactly when your Spidey senses should kick in.

If you get a text out of the blue asking to pay unpaid tolls with a link that takes you to a page to enter your credit card information, stop. It’s a phish­ing scam. These scams trick innocent people into going to phony websites that look legiti­mate, leading unsuspecting vic­tims to click on links that down­load malware and give access to private information. This could lead to extortion, identity theft and financial ruin.

If you receive a text or email from someone purporting to be from a toll agency or any other authority asking you to pay or face consequences, do not click on unsolicited links and do no deal with the person sending the message. Instead, directly contact your financial institu­tion or the company the bad ac­tor may be impersonating.

Here are common phishing scams:

A delivery notice purporting to be from Amazon, UPS or Fe­dEx saying a delivery is late or can’t be made.

A utility shut-off message from SDG&E saying services are scheduled to be shut off.

A computer pop-up or email message saying your anti-virus subscription, such as McAfee, has expired and must be re­newed today.

Pop-up ads purporting to be from Microsoft warning your computer has been hacked.

A text from a toll agency say­ing you have unpaid tolls.

Scammers want you to react quickly, so stop and check it out before you act.

Contact California’s tolling agency using a phone number or website you know is real — not the info from the text.

Report and delete unwant­ed text messages, using your phone’s “report junk” option.

Don’t click, call or answer if:

You get a phone call you didn’t expect saying there is a problem with your computer.

You get a message that a for­eign spammer attacked your system and you need to pay to protect your banking informa­tion.

If you are asked to make pay­ment in Bitcoin or wire transfer, it is a scam.

Never, under any circum­stances allow anyone to install remote access software onto your computer or device.

The DA’s Consumer Protec­tion Unit is comprised of Depu­ty District Attorneys, Investiga­tors and Paralegals dedicated to protecting consumers and law-abiding businesses from fraudulent or unfair business practices. To report a consumer complaint, you can call (619) 531-3507 or email consumer@ sdcda.org.