Philadelphia Courts Warn Public of PA Turnpike Toll Scam
Philadelphia Courts Warn Public of Pennsylvania Turnpike Toll Scam
Philadelphia Courts Warn Public of Pennsylvania Turnpike Toll Scam
Philadelphia courts have issued a fraud alert warning residents about a text-message scam involving alleged unpaid Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls. The fraudulent messages instruct recipients to “appear for a hearing” in the Traffic Division of the Philadelphia Municipal Court or use a QR code to pay a fine. Officials emphasize that the courts would never send such text messages demanding payment.
“The public is cautioned to NEVER provide personal, banking, or credit card information via a link sent through an unknown text or phone call,” the alert stated. The courts also clarified that they do not request Social Security numbers or credit card information over the phone or via text.
This type of scam, known as “smishing,” is a phishing tactic targeting SMS users. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported $470 million in losses from text-message scams in 2024. Residents who receive these messages are advised to ignore them and report the incident to local police, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection at 800-441-2555, or the FTC at ftc.gov.
Experts recommend never clicking on links or replying to unexpected text messages. Instead, individuals should verify the legitimacy of the message by contacting the agency or company directly using official contact information.
Philadelphia Courts Warn Public of Pennsylvania Turnpike Toll Scam was originally published on rnbphilly.com
