Scam or Not? NY Officials Say There’s an Easy Way to Tell

It's getting harder to tell if those text messages are real or just a scammer trying to steal your money. Local experts share some tips to stay safe.

Hudson Valley drivers have recently been bombarded with text messages on their phones that look official. They say you owe money on your E-ZPass or for unpaid tolls and urge you to click a link right away. Some even threaten big fees if you don’t act fast. But state officials and consumer protection experts say these messages are scams meant to steal your money and your identity.

Here’s how you can tell the difference between a real E-ZPass alert and a fraud attempt.

Real E-ZPass Messages Come Through Official Channels

Real communications about your E-ZPass account don’t show up unsolicited as a random text demanding immediate payment. If you ever get a legitimate message about your tolls or account balance, it will come through E-ZPassNY.com or TollsByMailNY.com. And for text alerts, the official short code is 39769 and the message starts with EZPNY.

If you’re unsure whether a message is real, the safest move is to open your browser and go directly to EZPassNY.com yourself. Don’t tap links in a text to get there.

Scam Texts Try to Trick You

These scam messages are called “smishing,” a blend of SMS and phishing. They’re trying to trick you into handing over your personal or financial information by making you think you owe an unpaid toll. Some common red flags include:

• Urgent language or threats about late fees or penalties if you don’t act right away.
• Requests for personal information like your birthday, Social Security number or credit card details. Real E-ZPass communications won’t ask for those in a text.
• Links to strange websites with odd spellings or unfamiliar extensions. If the link isn’t to one of the official E-ZPassNY or TollsByMailNY domains, don’t click.
• Messages from an unusual number. If the number starts with an international code or looks nothing like the official short code, it’s probably fake.

Officials say scammers sometimes ask you to reply with a simple letter like “Y” so they can activate a malicious link on your phone.

What To Do If You Get a Suspicious Text

If you think a message might be a scam, don’t reply and don’t click. Just delete it. If you’re worried you might actually owe something, log into your account on the official site or call E-ZPass customer service. You can also report suspicious messages to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

And if you accidentally clicked a link or entered personal information, contact your bank or credit card company right away. Changing passwords and monitoring your accounts can help limit damage if fraud has already happened.