E-ZPass Toll Road Users Targeted in Email Scam

— -- People who use toll road transponders such as E-ZPass are being targeted in an email scam.

The emails claim, fraudulently, to involve outstanding toll bills.

AAA Mid-Atlantic Spokesman John Townsend received one of the emails. The email demanded an appearance for an unpaid toll.

“If you use E-ZPass, you would probably think you’ve gone through a toll booth or toll plaza and your transponder didn’t work,” Townsend said.

“They don’t really care who the victim is; they will go after an auto club and its members, or anyone who uses the E-ZPass,” he said.

The phishing scam casts a wide net, hoping to ensnare a couple of vulnerable users. The emails appear official, but when users click on an attachment to pay, the scammers can gain access to a user’s computer and personal information. A similar scam emerged last year.

“This is absolutely a classic phish, and what they bank on is sheer numbers, because they are sending spam email to literally millions of people,” said ABC News contributor Brad Garrett, a former FBI special agent.

Experts recommend avoiding unfamiliar emails that involve attachments or ask for personal information.

One way to avoid clicking on suspicious emails involves hovering over the sender’s email address and ensuring that the sender’s actual address matches up.