The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission recently announced a smishing scam being sent by text to random cellphones, stating that the receiver has an overdue turnpike toll bill, and if it isn’t settled, additional charges will be incurred.

The deceptive text claims to be from “Pennsylvania Turnpike Toll Services” and includes a link to pay the bill of $8.60, according to some local residents who have received the missive.

The notice from the turnpike commission warns receivers not to click on an unsolicited text, email or similar message claiming to be from the turnpike or another toll agency.

In addition, the turnpike states that those who receive a fraudulent text should file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Unfortunately, the warning about the scam was unknown to many until after they clicked on the link and paid the bill.

Those who told the Mirror they paid stated that it was only $8.60, so at least they weren’t taken for their life savings. They’ll keep an eye on their bank accounts and order a new debit or credit card so the fraudsters can’t continue to charge the account.

They were lucky, this time.

If you were caught in this scam or any others, you’re not alone. The Federal Trade Commission data show consumers reported losing more than $10 billion to fraud in 2023.

From a local perspective, the Mirror receives state police reports from Blair and surrounding counties, and we regularly read of area residents being scammed one way or another, despite the many warnings we have published about such matters and despite the many warnings issued by banks and other financial institutions, as well as by local law enforcement agencies.

Recently, a Bedford County resident received a scam pop-up ad on her computer stating that the device had a virus.

The resident called the number on the screen and gave “an unknown actor” remote access to her computer, police reported. Then the unknown actor convinced the resident to convert $2,950 into bitcoin and send him the transaction information. The victim did and has not heard from the unknown individual since, the report states.

Another case saw a victim lose about $8,000 in a gift-card scam, and others have had savings accounts wiped out.

The people behind these scams are smart. They know the right things to say, they use just the right amount of urgency and know when and how to push the deal through. It’s their job.

They don’t care who you are, they don’t care about your family or living situation, and they don’t care if you are rich or poor; they want the money.

Constant vigilance is required to navigate safely in today’s internet-connected world and, to borrow a warning from the railroad, we urge readers to stop, look and listen.

Stop. Don’t open email and texts from people you don’t know and never click on a link unless you’re sure it’s safe. Don’t panic if you receive an urgent message about a bill at 3 a.m. Don’t click on any links when you’re half asleep. Don’t call the phone number supplied with the suspect text or email.

Look. Study the link and/or website address you’re being directed to use. Scammers often use lookalike addresses that appear almost identical to legitimate sites. For instance, to pay a bill on the turnpike’s actual website, customers visit https://www.paturnpike.com/pay-a-bill. The link supplied with the scam email is very similar, but it is all one word, with the .com at the end. Do check to verify the site, then double check to be sure.

Listen. Stay informed about the latest scams. The state Office of the Attorney General, the Federal Trade Commission and other government agencies track scams and their websites offer guidance.

We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to keep your accounts and your personal information secure.

Contact your financial institution or visit pa.gov and search “cybersecurity” for tips to avoid becoming a victim and how to file a claim if you were duped.