WOODBRIDGE, NJ – Many in New Jersey would say that EZ-Pass on its own is a scam, but officials warned of a new scam targeting the toll collection system used on roads such as teh Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike.
When the Garden State Parkway was built, tolls were added simply to pay for the construction of the road. As we all know, that never happened.
New Jersey drivers are being warned about a new text message scam that could compromise their banking or credit card information. The fraudulent scheme, involving a website posing as “NJ Turnpike toll services,” is prompting drivers to pay non-existent toll balances to avoid late fees.
The scam text messages claim affiliation with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority or other legitimate toll agencies within the New Jersey E-ZPass Group, but no such association exists. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority confirmed they started receiving inquiries from concerned drivers on Thursday, April 11. Those who receive these messages should not click on any provided links but instead delete the messages immediately. Anyone who has already clicked the link and provided their information should contact their bank or credit card provider right away.
This scam is not specifically targeting New Jersey E-ZPass customers but is being sent broadly to individuals with New Jersey area codes. Similar scams have also been reported by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission among others. Victims of this scam are encouraged to report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
