NATIONAL NEWS – Toll text scam is out of control and Apple and Android can’t do anything about it
Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer
Researchers have identified over 60,000 domains that are associated with the now widespread text scam that is typically presented under the name of “FastTrak” as well as the names of multiple state road systems. This scam has targeted countless iPhones and Android phones.
Apple and Android manufacturers Samsung are largely powerless in restricting or stopping the scam. The messages have increased by around 900% in the past three months. Cybersecurity experts have said that the scam is most likely to be the work of Chinese criminal gangs.
Agencies like The Ohio Turnpike Infrastructure Commission are among the agencies that have released warnings to the public about the fraudulent texts. Other state agencies like Georgia’s Peach Pass and Florida’s SunPass have issued similar warnings.
For Ohio, the scam first became known in April 2024 but has steadily been ramping up. However, the issues have caused the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission to produce a public service video to raise awareness about the scam. In Louisiana and Virginia, top government officials have issued warnings to residents saying that scammers are banking on human nature to make their scams effective despite the warning and how obvious something may seem to be a scam.