Your phone suddenly rings, and you think it might be a text from a family member. But instead, you receive a message from a toll road company claiming that you owe fees. What’s going on?
These toll road text messages are just one of the many tactics used by scammers. Their goal is to scare you into revealing your credit card number or even your Social Security Number. There are many other brazen scamming methods, so it’s crucial to stay vigilant.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States, consumers lost approximately $470 million to text scams in 2024. This figure is five times more than in 2020.
Text scams, also known as “smishing,” are common tactics used by scammers to steal your personal information.
The content of the messages sent by scammers varies, but the pattern remains the same. You may receive a text from an unknown or “spoofed” number, with the scammer using technical means to mimic a company or individual you know. Commonly impersonated entities include the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Apple, or Amazon.
These messages always create a sense of urgency. For example, they might claim that you owe money to the IRS, that your house is about to be foreclosed, or that you’ve won a lottery and need to claim the prize quickly.
Scammers will then ask you to click on a link or call a phone number. These scammers are well-versed in psychology and can manipulate you to react without much thought.
You may have received many scam messages. Here are some of the most common ones.
These scams take advantage of the frequent online shopping habits of modern society. You might receive a text appearing to be from UPS, FedEx, or the U.S. Postal Service, claiming that a package delivery was unsuccessful and needs to be rescheduled.
If you’ve recently made an online purchase, you might be tempted to click on the link. However, once you do, the system will ask for your personal information or even advance payment to “ensure” successful delivery.
The Federal Communications Commission has received numerous complaints of scammers impersonating legitimate toll companies through text messages. These messages claim the recipient has unpaid toll fees or outstanding balances. Sometimes, they even threaten to suspend the recipient’s driver’s license if the payment is not made.
These messages usually request non-standard payment methods, such as gift cards or wire transfers. The sender’s number is often international, or the message includes other unfamiliar phone numbers.
Do not click on the links or call the phone numbers in these messages. Toll operators do not notify overdue bills through text messages.
You might be job hunting and suddenly receive a text about a fantastic job opportunity. The job offers remote work, flexible hours, and good pay. But you didn’t apply for this job, so how do they know you’re qualified? You may also notice that the text doesn’t mention your name.
These jobs typically claim you can earn $200 to $800 a day, work only 30 to 60 minutes a week, and effortlessly make at least $9,000 a month. To entice applicants, they redirect you to other platforms like email, Telegram, or WhatsApp since they want to move the conversation off the text quickly.
Once they have you hooked, they’ll try to convince you to pay an application fee. Once you send the money, you won’t get it back, and contacting them becomes impossible. Or they might ask for personal information like your Social Security Number and birth date to steal your identity.
It proves the old saying: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t.
If you receive a message saying your bill is ready or “thank you for your payment,” be cautious.
This is a common scam. If you’ve had previous dealings with a company but no recent transactions, visit their website and contact customer service.
Do not click the links in the messages or call the phone numbers. Scammers use this to obtain your passwords or other personal information. Legitimate companies never ask for such sensitive data.
Even seemingly harmless texts shouldn’t be trusted. If you receive a text about your account being hacked, do not respond. Instead, contact the company or bank’s anti-fraud department and report the message. Do not click on the links or call the phone numbers in the text. The real aim of scammers is to acquire your financial institution passwords.
These scams are often heartbreaking. You might receive a text saying a loved one is in trouble and urgently needs money. Do not send money directly. The right action is to call that family member or friend to inquire about their situation. If they don’t answer, contact people close to them. Do not send money without verifying the situation.
We often forget which services we’ve subscribed to. If you receive a text claiming you can enjoy a subscription discount by acting now, don’t fall for it. If you’re genuinely interested in a subscription, contact the company’s customer service for inquiries.
These are just a few common text scams. In reality, any text that requires you to act or do something should be approached with suspicion. Do not click on the links or call the phone numbers in the texts. Remember, all text scams share a common characteristic: creating urgency to make you feel the need to respond immediately. Stay alert, verify before responding.
This article originally appeared in the English edition of Epoch Times and represented the views and opinions of the author. The content is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute any recommendation or solicitation. Epoch Times does not provide financial, tax, legal, financial planning, real estate planning, or other personal financial advice. Epoch Times does not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of the article content.