News & Insights

This morning, I got a text that looked real—but the moment I hit “Play Video,” everything clicked. A real scam. Scary, right?

Scammers are getting slick. In fact, recent data from the Federal Trade Commission shows that text-based phishing—so-called “smishing”—rose over 20% in just the past year. These crooks count on you acting fast—and not thinking twice. We’re here to help you pause, read carefully, and strike back.

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If you’ve ever panicked when “EZ Pass” flashed on your phone, you’re not alone. This blog is your field guide. Read on—and you’ll walk away confident.

Why EZ Pass “Smishing” Works

High Trust, High Urgency

• EZ Pass is a household name. Drivers expect updates via text. That trust equals opportunity for scammers.
• Plus, toll-related alerts feel urgent: pay now, or get dinged with fees. Your brain wants to act—fast.
  
  

Vague Language, Prompting Panic

• “Your account is overdue” or “Immediate action required.” Without details, your brain races—and skips thinking.
  
  

Bottom line: Your gut wants to help—but that impulse is precisely what scammers bank on.

EZ-Pass Scam Red Flags to Watch Our For 

Red Flag Signal #1: Sender Details You Can’t Trust

• Spoofed Numbers or Generic Shortcodes: A text from “EZ-Pass” should come from a consistent shortcode or recognizable number. If it’s a random 10-digit or unknown, be alert.
• Odd prefixes or country codes: A simple way to check—does the number look local or consistent with previous EZ Pass alerts? If not, pause.

Actionable Tip: Take a screenshot of the message and compare it to earlier texts from EZ Pass. Variations often reveal the fake.

Red Flag Signal #2: Sketchy Links or Weird Digits

• Link Masking Tricks: Look out for “http://ez-pass-pay-now.com” or links that end in odd characters—“/pay?oid=1234567.” These aren’t official.
• Shortened URLs: Bit.ly or TinyURL hides real destinations.
  
  

Actionable Tip: Don’t click. Instead, type out “ezpass.com” or your state’s EZ Pass domain directly into your browser. Always.

Red Flag Signal #3: Poor Language and Tone

• Misspellings and Grammatical Errors: “Your tolls are overdue plese pay immediatly.” Subtle miss.
• Odd phrasing or tone: If it doesn’t sound like official EZ Pass language—like, too casual or overly dramatic—that’s a red flag.
  
  

Actionable Tip: Copy a suspicious sentence into Google. Often, it’s cut-and-pasted from scam templates others have spotted.

Red Flag Signal #4: Unusual Payment Methods

• Gift Cards, Bitcoin, or Prepaid Cards? Nope. EZ Pass expects standard payment: bank ACH, credit/debit card, or official direct pay. Anything else? Fake.
  
  

Actionable Tip: If a text demands payment via unconventional channels—stop. Immediately go to the official app or contact support directly.

Red Flag Signal #5: No Personalized Details

• Generic “Dear Customer” or no name/account info. A legitimate alert typically includes partial account information—like “License Plate ending in 1234” or your city.
  
  

Actionable Tip: Legit EZ Pass alerts are personalized. If a message is impersonal, it’s impersonal for a reason.

Red Flag Signal #6: Threatening Language

• “Pay within 24 hours or face legal action.” Emotional manipulation is their game. True notices say “Late fee may apply,” not legal threats.
  
  

Actionable Tip: If the tone is dramatic, walk away. Check via the official channel when you’re calm.

Walk-Through:
Real vs. Fake Comparison

If You’re Not Sure—Here’s What to Do

1. Don’t Click or Respond.
   
   
2. Open the Official App or Site Manually.
   
   
3. Check Transaction History. If there's no balance owed—great. If there is, contact support.
   
   
4. Call Customer Support Directly. Use the number on your card or official site.
   
   
5. Report the Smishing Attempt.
   
   
   • You can forward the text to 7726 (“SPAM”)—most carriers participate.

1. • Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
     
     

Prevent Future Scams:
Keep Your Guard Up

• Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) on your EZ Pass account, if available.
• Use a password manager—it flags fake sign-in pages when the login doesn’t match your stored credentials.
• Educate your network—tell friends, family, or neighbors who are also EZ Pass users.
  
  

Here’s what really matters: calm, clarity, confidence.

A scammer’s goal? Panic.

Stay sharp. Stay informed. And keep yourself safe—one suspicious text at a time.