Text message scam targeting Aussie drivers demand they pay thousands of dollars for unpaid tolls

By William On Nov 27, 2022

Millions of Australian drivers have been told to stay on the lookout for a clever scam asking them to refund thousands of dollars in tolls, as the toll company warns it will never ask for payment via text message.

Drivers in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne are receiving fake text messages from scammers posing as e-tag toll company Linkt, run by Transurban.

“Unpaid tolls in September will result in serious fines if overdue, please deal with this as soon as possible,” the text message reads, before directing users to click on a URL link.

Another version of the text reads: “Link: After verification, your bill is overdue. Then respond immediately, otherwise you will be fined.’

Linkt owner Transurban said the scam texts were being sent to the general public, including people who did not have an account with the toll company.

Millions of Australian drivers have been told to stay alert to a clever scam asking them to refund thousands of dollars in tolls (stock image)

“After verification, your invoice is overdue, settle it immediately or you will be fined,” the text message reads, before directing users to click on a URL link (pictured)

Customers are advised to delete suspicious messages immediately, refrain from clicking links and report the scam on the Linkt website.

Other texts tell drivers that their account has been ‘banned’ or that their ‘vehicle information hasn’t been updated for a long time and is now disabled’.

In a statement on its website, Linkt said it occasionally emails or texts customers asking them to update their personal information on the app or on the website.

We will never ask you to update financial information by text message, but we may give you the option to update your email address by replying to a text message.

Clicking on the url opens a website that looks identical to the real site, and once credit card details are entered, scammers can drain bank accounts.

Drivers in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne receive fake texts from scammers pretending to be from Linkt toll company (stock image)

HOW TO AVOID THE TOLL SCAM

1. Transurban, owner of Linkt, and the NSW Government E-toll said they will never send text messages asking for payment, so ignore them and block the number.

2. Never click on a link in a text message or email to go to the Linkt or E-toll websites, instead enter the address manually or use the app.

3. Ignore any messages that don’t look legitimate, for example with bad spelling or from a foreign number or with strange links.

A driver posted a screenshot of a scam text to warn other users on Reddit.

“I got this yesterday, thought what the f*** I haven’t been anywhere with tolls for several months,” said one user.

“Haha yeah, I certainly didn’t click it, but it did make me think about where I’ve been riding lately,” said another.

“I have one and I don’t even drive,” a third wrote.

Young mom Catherine Arrowsmith said she double-checked the website and it looked legit, but she was soon wiped out in front of thousands.

“About two weeks later, they were going to spend about $8,000 in Victoria and I live in NSW,” she told A Current Affair earlier this month.

She is angry that her bank has not flagged the unusual transactions and has not blocked her card.

Linkt owner Transurban said the scam texts were being sent to the general public, including people who didn’t have an account with the toll company (stock image of a Linkt e-tag)

“They haven’t put a stop on the cards. The trades were for $2,500, another $900 at Coles and another $900 at Woolies.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever spent $900 at Coles,” she said.

Retiree Andrew Engel, 74, had $11,000 stolen in a series of smaller transactions worth exactly $1,000 from the same Kmart store.

“I go to bed at night, it’s the last thing on my mind, it’s the first thing I think about when I wake up because it’s such a big amount,” he said.

His bank also didn’t put a single stop on the card, despite the transactions being highly unusual for the decades-long customer.

While Ms. Arrowsmith got about three-quarters of her money back through dispute resolution with her bank, Mr. English remains out of pocket.

STATEMENT OF TRANSURBAN

We will never ask you to reply to an email or text with your financial information or personal information. If we need you to manage your account, we will always direct you to log into your account directly at linkt.com.au or the Linkt app.

Our Cyber Security Operations team works with telecommunications providers to identify and block phone numbers sending these text messages. We have reported nearly 2,000 unique scam messages to telecommunications providers so they can block them and protect our customers and the Australian public.

These scam texts are sent to the general public, including people who may not have an account with Linkt.

If you receive a message from someone claiming to be Linkt or Transurban and it’s not entirely true, don’t click the link. Some examples of what you may see in a scam text are incorrect spelling or strange URLs.