CA FasTrak, Apple and Customs Smishing: Top Scams of the Week

This week, cybercriminals have carried out various clever scams to steal your personal and financial information. The most common scams involve fraudulent text messages and emails, with scammers impersonating FasTrak, Apple, and US and Canadian customs authorities. Read on to learn how to spot these scams and protect yourself.

CA FasTrak toll fraud

Toll scams have been on the rise lately, and this week was no different. In this smishing scam, scammers pretend to represent FasTrak, the technology used to pay tolls in California. Here is an example of the scam:

The text message claims that you have an unpaid toll of just a few dollars. To avoid the (much higher) late fees, you must pay the outstanding balance using a link included in the message. The link is malicious and leads to a website that aims to collect your personal and financial information. Any data entered on the site is accessible to the fraudsters, and once they get their hands on it, they could potentially sell it to other cybercriminals on the dark web or use it for further fraudulent activities, including identity theft and financial fraud.

New York Toll Services Fraud

This toll scam works in the same way as the one described above, but this time the scammers claim to be from “NY Toll Services.” Here is an example of this scam:

The aim of the fraudsters is the same with this scam: they are after your personal and financial data. Watch out for toll scams – their popularity among scammers doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon!

Limited Apple Pay scam

Apple scams are certainly nothing new, but this particular case has been particularly common over the past week. This is what it looks like:

The email states that your Apple Pay account has been temporarily restricted and will be permanently suspended unless you click a button and reconfirm your account information within 48 hours. Creating a sense of urgency is a classic scammer tactic. They want you to feel pressured to click the button and visit the malicious website it leads to.

Once you’re on the website, you’ll be asked to enter your Apple ID email address and password. However, when you do this, you inadvertently give the data to the scammers who have complete control over the website. If they get hold of your Apple ID account login information, they could gain full control of your account and potentially sell or expose any personal information associated with your account on the dark web.

Customs fraud

Recently, we have noticed an increase in the number of fraudulent customs scams, where fraudsters imitate different countries’ customs regulations. Below are two examples of this scam:

Similar to the other scams in this article, the scammers try to trick you into clicking on a link, this time falsely claiming that you have a package that failed customs clearance. Again, the link is malicious and the website it leads to is designed to collect your personal information, which the scammers could use to commit further crimes or sell/share on the dark web.

Security tips: How to avoid fraud

To protect yourself from phishing and smishing scams, keep these key points in mind:

• Be skeptical: Treat unexpected text messages and emails with suspicion, especially those that ask for personal or financial information.
• Avoid clicking on links: Do not click on links unless you are sure they come from a trustworthy source.
• Check the source: If a text message or email states that urgent action is needed, verify its authenticity by contacting the institution directly.
• Use Trend Micro Check: The newly updated Trend Micro Check can protect you from all types of fraud. Further information can be found below.

Protect yourself from fraud with Trend Micro Check

With so many scammers and fraudsters out there, it’s more important than ever to stay one step ahead. With the introduction of the newly updated Trend Micro Check, available on both Android and iOS, Trend Micro Check provides comprehensive protection against phishing and smishing scams, spam and fraudulent text messages, deepfakes, and more:

• SMS filter and call blocking: Say goodbye to unwanted spam and scam calls and messages. Minimize daily disruptions and strengthen your defenses against phishing.
• Fraud check: Instantly analyze emails, texts, URLs, screenshots and phone numbers with our AI-powered fraud detection technology. Stay safe and scam free.
• Deepfake scan: Detect deepfakes in real-time during video calls and alert you when someone uses face-swapping AI technology to change their appearance.
• Web Guard: Browse the Internet safely, protected from malicious websites and annoying advertisements.

To download Trend Micro Check or learn more, click the button below.

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