The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) has launched an educational social media campaign to inform customers about the widespread text scam known as smashing.
Smishing is a scam that involves sending fraudulent communications via text message. Scam messages have been circulating that claim the recipient owes money for tolls.
“Smishing scams are on the rise, and we’re committed to helping customers recognize and avoid them,” said Lori Caron Silveira, Executive Director of RITBA. “We remind our customers to never click the link in a suspicious text and to always use trusted methods, such as visiting our official website, to verify their account status safely. We also want to assure our customers that we safeguard their data. We don’t share their numbers or account information with anyone.”
- Customers are advised to visit the official RITBA E-ZPass website: https://www.ezpassritba.com/ to safely check their accounts.
- Customers who wish to report this smishing scam may visit the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://www.ic3.gov/. Suspicious texts can also be forwarded to 7726 (SPAM) to notify mobile providers.
The campaign will be featured on X at @RIEZPASS (https://twitter.com/riezpass), as well as on Facebook (www.facebook.com) where we can be found by searching for the “Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority.”
Sample posts are attached below.
