Beware of text messages that says ”Your vehicle has been recorded using the FasTrak Express Lane. To avoid a bill with excessive late fees of 46.70$, kindly settle your balance of 4.67$ at https://bayareafastrakservices.com” It’s a scam! Fastrak does not request payment by text messages with a link to a website. If you miss paying a toll, the bill is sent to your residence, not sent as a text.
The text messages are smishing attempt by cybercriminals, and have been reported to originate from 709 area codes. Other red flags spotted;
- The link on the text message isn’t the legit Bay Area Fastrak website which is bayareafastrak.org
- The website ‘bayareafastrakservices.com‘ was registered June 22nd, 2024 – this shows it lacks reputation of any sort.
- A cybersecurity tool ‘VirusTotal’ reveals the website IP address is from Bulgaria instead of USA.
- Most recipients have not drove on the Fastrak Express Lane for months or years even
- The text message is sent from 709 area code which is a Canadian area code, and has been flagged for Sunpass toll scam texts in the past. Eg – + 1(709)749-5032
How Bayareafastrakservices.com Scam Works
Clicking on the link in the fraudulent text message takes victims to a spoofed Fastrak website that ask for credit card details for the fee. People who provide their credit card info would become a victim of credit card fraud. The scammers would not only deduct the fake outstanding balance but would make huge withdrawals.
Also, mere clicking on the link could expose your mobile device to viruses, spywares, or malware. This is because the website could’ve a malware program running in the background. Malware is software that is installed on a computer without the user’s consent and that performs malicious actions, such as stealing passwords or money. Malware can be installed in a variety of ways, including through email attachments, drive-by downloads, or by clicking on links in malicious websites.
Precaution
Here’s what to do If you received a scam text message;
- Don’t attempt to click on the link no matter how legit it looks. Clicking it would either direct you to a fraudulent website or install malware into your device.
- Block The Sender Number. You can do this by flagging the telephone number as spam.
- Delete The Text Message. Deleting the text message will prevent you from mistakenly replying or clicking on it.
Solution for Victims of Bayareafastrakservices.com Scam
Inform Their Credit Card Company
If you provided your credit card details on this scam site, the first step you should take is calling your credit card company. They need to know that your card details have been compromised so as to closely monitor and prevent any unauthorized charges.
Place a Credit Freeze or Fraud Alert
Fraud alert is sort of like a two-factor authentication process for accessing your credit, whereas a credit freeze blocks anyone from accessing your credit — until you remove it. The credit freeze is the best option for you, if you know you wouldn’t be using the credit card anytime soon.
Scan Their Device with a Malware Checker Tool
There’s a likelihood that your device has been infested by malware or spyware after visiting the spoofed website. Scanning your device with a malware removal tool will detect and remove any viruses, spyware, or other malicious programs.
See similar smishing scam text – Billsunpasstoll.com scam text
