The Metro: Scam likely—That traffic ticket text you just got isn’t real.
One of the most common scams recently are fake toll road fines sent via text message. The FBI calls it “smishing,” which combines the abbreviation for text messages, SMS, with phishing.
An SMS text scam warns of penalties if a fake traffic fine is not paid.
You can’t trust everything you see and hear nowadays, especially text messages and emails.
One of the most common scams recently are fake toll road fines that are sent via text message. The FBI calls it “smishing,” which combines the abbreviation for text messages, SMS, with phishing.
The problem has gotten so big that the Michigan Secretary of State’s website has as pop-up warning at the top of their homepage, reminding Michigan residents that the Secretary of State will never solicit payment via text message.
Among the most vulnerable for cyber scams are senior citizens.
Last year in Michigan, seniors reported scam and fraud losses of $92 million, according to the FBI’s IC3 2024 Elder Fraud Report. That breaks down to around $29,000 per claim.
The leading categories of fraud and scams are investments, personal data breaches, identity theft, romance, and tech support.
This tracks with the national trend. Last year reported cybercrime losses in the U.S. topped $16 billion.
What’s behind the text message toll road scams? How can people identify a scam? What makes seniors so vulnerable to cyber scams?
Lexi Lutz joined the Metro to help answer those questions. Lutz is the senior corporate counsel for privacy and cybersecurity at Nordstrom, and she appeared on The Metro in her capacity of founder of Opt-Inspire, a nonprofit that works to keep seniors cyber-secure, and helps them use digital technology safely to connect with loved ones.
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