Alerts Newsletter

Scam of the Month: Outstanding Toll Amount 

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Road trip season is approaching, and the FBI has observed criminals impersonating road toll collection services via text message. While there is only one toll bridge in Missouri – the Lake of the Ozarks Community Bridge (for now) – many neighboring states operate toll roads.  

If you see a message like the one below, please do not interact with the sender and do not follow the given link. When in doubt, you can always visit the toll service’s legitimate website to find their customer service phone number. Please be aware of the following tips for recognizing these impersonation scams. 

Text message saying: (State Toll Service Name): We've noticed an outstanding toll amount of .51 on your record. To avoid a late fee of .00, visit https://myturnpiketollservices.com to settle your balance.
The state toll service name, link, and sending phone number changes between states. 
Text message saying: (State Toll Service Name): We've noticed an outstanding toll amount of $12.51 on your record. To avoid a late fee of $50.00, visit https://myturnpiketollservices.com to settle your balance.
The state toll service name, link, and sending phone number changes between states. 
Text message saying: (State Toll Service Name): We've noticed an outstanding toll amount of $12.51 on your record. To avoid a late fee of $50.00, visit https://myturnpiketollservices.com to settle your balance.
The state toll service name, link, and sending phone number changes between states. 
  1. Be suspicious of any text claiming to be from a government agency. 
  2. Check your account using the toll service’s legitimate website. 
  3. Call the toll service’s customer service phone number to verify the charge. 
  4. Report any phishing texts (instructions in next section). 

Here are some helpful tips for avoiding a scam like this one: 

If you receive a suspicious text message, the best action to take depends on the situation. Since texts aren’t managed by WashU IT systems, you will often need to reach out to your specific provider. 

  1. If it’s clearly fake, report it. 
  2. If you aren’t sure if it’s a fake, use a known contact method to verify the text. 
  3. If you get a very vague and tentative message like “How are you?” or even just your name (or someone else’s) with a question mark, we recommend ignoring it or reporting it. 
  4. It is risky to respond with a question like “Who is this?” because the scammer now knows you’re there and will try to engage you. First, they will use the same number but then try from other numbers. 
  5. If someone you know is trying to contact you from a new number, it’s their obligation to properly identify themselves, explain themselves, and not ask you for gift cards. 

Additional Resources

Phishing | Office of Information Security | Washington University in St. Louis 
Phishing 101 | Office of Information Security | Washington University in St. Louis 

Vishing | Office of Information Security | Washington University in St. Louis (wustl.edu) 

Protect Yourself from Social Engineering 

Protect Yourself from Social Engineering