"Unpaid toll." "Your package is on hold." These texts are everywhere, and they look official. Here's how to tell, as a short comic.
Owlthat's you
Foxthe scammer
A text arrives
1
Owl's phone buzzes: an unpaid toll of $4.99. Pay within 24 hours or face a $50 late fee, and here's the link. It looks official. It's a scam.
How it works, and the three signs
2
Scam texts work like fishing. The small, believable ask is the worm. What Fox really wants, your card details, is the hook.
3
Sign 1: the rush. "Within 24 hours." "Final notice." Pressure is there to stop you thinking.
4
Sign 2: a small payment. $4.99 feels harmless, but the page asks for your full card details.
5
Sign 3: a link that's almost right. Like a cardboard shop front, the site looks real but belongs to someone else.
6
Don't tap. Open the official app, or type the real website yourself, and check there. If you owe something, it'll show.
7
Report it, then delete it. Forward the text to 7726 (it spells SPAM) so your carrier can block the sender.
So, how do you spot one?
A rush, a small payment and a link that's almost right. When you see that mix, don't tap. Check in the official app, then report and delete.
Anatomy of a scam text
Here's a made-up toll text with the four giveaways marked. To see who really owns a link, read the address up to the first single "/". The part just before it is the real site, and here it's com-fees.info, nothing to do with tolls.
Three traps
These are the thoughts scammers count on.
"It knows my name, so it's real." Names and numbers leak in data breaches and get sold."It's only $4.99." The small amount is the bait. The card details are the catch."I'll just reply STOP." Any reply tells them your number is live. Report and delete instead.
Already tapped or paid? Call your bank using the number on the back of your card, change any password you typed in, and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
The 30-second version
①Rush + small payment + odd link = scam.
②Check in the official app, never through the link.
