Go Phishing! Scammers target FasTrak system users with threatening texts

A phishing text message warning of a legal threat and fines has hit users and even non-riders of Metro ExpressLanes in Los Angeles County.

The spam has led to a flood of complaints from Metro ExpressLanes users who have called the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority seeking review and advice, Metro authorities have found.

Metro officials said they posted a warning about the fraudulent text messages on their homepage as soon as they learned of the scam.

“The ExpressLanes system was not hacked and no customer information was compromised.” the message said.

Metro ExpressLanes are closed lanes on the 10 and 110 freeways that motorists can use to pass traffic in regular lanes. Users pay tolls based on dynamic pricing that adapts to traffic volumes. Tolls are collected via a FasTrak transponder mounted in a vehicle’s dashboard.

Metro could not confirm how many messages were sent, how many complaints they had received or when they believe the messages were first sent.

“Metro ExpressLanes reminds customers that we never send text messages requesting confidential information or payment requests,” Metro said in a statement. “If a text message claims to be from Metro ExpressLanes regarding tolls or violations, do not respond to the message, do not use any links in the message, or do not use any contact information provided in the message.”

The Federal Trade Commission classifies phishing as a type of fraud in which targeted users receive a communication, such as an email or text message, that appears to come from a known source, such as a company or agency.

The message asks the user to enter personal information that the scammer wants to use, for example, to open a bank account or cause other financial harm to the person being scammed.

The FTC also asks consumers not to respond to the messages.

The scam messages in question asked recipients to pay their FasTrak bill by a certain date to “avoid excessive late fees and possible legal action against the bill.”

A phishing link is provided that should not be clicked.

In some cases, the phone number from which the text message comes is several digits longer than a US-based 10-digit number.

Metro officials said they believe the scammers targeted individuals across various area codes, hitting both FasTrak drivers and non-users.

According to Metro, there are 25 miles of ExpressLanes on Highways 10 and 110 totaling 25 miles, with 1.6 million transponders for drivers in the county and 342.1 million trips this year as of early November.

The FasTrak Pass can also be used outside of Los Angeles, such as on the 405 Freeway in Orange County, the 10 Freeway in San Bernardino County, the 15 Freeway that runs through San Bernardino and Riverside counties, and several other expressways.

The scams affect drivers in various areas San Francisco in March until Sonoma County in April and San Diego in July.

Prosecutor. Gen. Rob Bonta issued a statement on July 1. urges Californians not to click on the link in the texts.

“Scammers are often literally in our pockets, just a text message away,” Bonta said. “Text-based toll fraud is on the rise and knowing what to look for is an important way to protect consumers from these tactics.”