Thruway Authority warns of scam: fake E-Z Pass messages asking for personal info

The New York State Thruway Authority is warning people about a phishing scam in which the scammers, sending a message about an unpaid toll charge, request personal information.

The Thruway Authority posted on social media: “E-Z Pass or Tolls By Mail will NEVER send an email or contact you requesting sensitive personal information such as credit card number, Social Security, user names, passwords, etc.”

The phishers — who send fraudulent links to emails with links to websites that appear to be legitimate, in order to manipulate people into divulging confidential information — may be seeking username and login information, passwords or PINs, credit card validation codes, ATM/debit or credit card numbers, Social Security Numbers, or bank routing and account numbers, according to E-Z Pass.

If you are contacted by anyone saying they are from E-Z Pass and are seeking personal information, do not provide the formation, E-Z Pass says: Either call (800) 333-TOLL to report the call or ask the caller/sender to provide their own contact information so you can call them back.