The authorities advise the public to avoid clicking on links sent by SMS and contacting local parking entities
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- The authorities say that crooks use a new tactic to encourage victims without mistrust to pay money.
- Criminals send SMS asking for the payment of false parking tickets that do not really exist.
- This scam is no different from the others that we have seen with physical parking tickets which are also false.
The crooks are nothing except innovative. Just when you think you’ve seen everything, they offer new ways to separate from your money. They went from work to person in the use of sophisticated digital methods, and now they have decided to mix old tips with new technologies.
The authorities warn the engines that crooks send SMS on unpaid tolls or parking tickets. If you receive one of these messages, here is how to avoid being scammed.
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At first glance, these scams do not seem too sinister. You receive a message saying that you have an unpaid bill. In some cases, it focuses on a parking ticket. In others, it refers to an unpaid toll or another fine municipal fines. The crook may even include the amount you need, which often seems small – just a few dollars here and there. It’s a tactic designed to make you think “It’s not worth fighting. ” And that’s exactly what they hope.
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In an example, the state of Illinois reported a message where the text threatened to issue additional costs of $ 75.90 if the beneficiary did not pay the balance of $ 7.59. It is easy to see why someone would rush to pay such an invoice if it was legitimate. This is what the crooks hope when they send this kind of message.
Simple steps to avoid being scammed
Fortunately, the solution here is the same regardless of the type of message you could receive. First of all, don’t answer at all. Do not send messages at all. Then block the number and finally delete the text. r. If you want to go further, you can report the message and the phone number to The FTC To help prevent future scams.
If you worry that you really have a government agency, contact the specific agency directly. Check everything in the message before sending money anywhere. And do not forget that many government agencies clearly indicate online that they do not contact people by SMS for payment requests.
It should be noted that this is not the first time that we have seen something like that. Last year, crooks were actively placed physical parking tickets on cars across the country. Tickets sometimes seemed authentic and other times did not do so. In the end, the payment options on these tickets led to portals where the victims could send money if they were not suspicious enough.
