I Finally Got the Famous New York Scam Text… How Are People Fooled?

It's one thing to hear about a famous text scam that's targeting New Yorkers... and another to actually receive the text yourself.

Recently, everybody from local Hudson Valley police to highway departments have been warning New Yorkers about a scam that has been affecting nearly every resident. Yesterday, I was finally targeted.

Hudson Valley Residents Targeted by E-ZPass Text Scam

The current scam is focused on E-ZPass users. The text message (below), informs users that they have unpaid tolls, and warns about potential late fees unless a link is provided. Taking a look at the message, however, it's hard to see how the scam could possibly be successful.

New Phishing Scam Hits the Hudson Valley

Using the ruse of an unpaid bill, the sender is attempting to convey a sense of urgency that is meant to make the recipient send personal information (called phishing). Luckily, there are several easy ways to tell the message is fake. 

How to Decode a Phishing Scam

To begin with, the phone number attached to the text messages are not from a short-code or even a traditional ten-digit phone number but rather an international number with a country code belonging to the Philippines. Then there's the message itself.

Pay Attention to Spelling Errors and Complicated Web Addresses

The longwinded text, which includes complicated information, also has enough grammar errors to make it look like someone asked a distracted high schooler to write it.

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It seems like most New Yorkers are savvy enough not to answer the scam message, but like most phishing missions, it's a numbers game. If only one percent of recipients fall for the ruse, it could be a huge windfall for the sneaky criminals. See more tips to stay safe below.