Beware of Toll Scam: Cuban Americans Warn Against Fake Payment Messages

Cuban Americans residing in the United States have taken to social media to expose a new scam circulating through text messages. These scammers send deceptive notifications about alleged unpaid tolls, directing recipients to fraudulent links aimed at stealing personal and financial information.

One of the whistleblowers, TikTok user Jaime Cabrera, warned his followers via a video on his profile @jaimevillaclara. He urged his community to avoid falling for this scam by sharing his experience. Cabrera explained that the fraudulent message falsely claimed that the recipient had an outstanding toll debt that needed immediate payment through a suspicious link. He pointed out that one of the scam's telltale signs is that the messages originate from numbers with the country code +63, indicating they are sent from abroad. He also noted that even individuals without toll accounts received these messages, which further suggests fraudulent activity.

Cabrera concluded his cautionary message by advising users not to click on the link, to ignore the message, and to block the sender to avoid becoming victims of the scam.

Another user, China Reyes (@chinareyes1604), shared her own account of the scam. In her video, she highlighted the seriousness of the fraud and displayed screenshots of the messages she received. Reyes stressed that the most reliable way to check for any legitimate toll debt is through the official toll service app. She advised against clicking any suspicious links and also warned of other scams, such as those impersonating iCloud, asking for payment for data storage. Reyes recommended enabling two-step verification on WhatsApp and refraining from responding to unknown messages requesting personal or financial information.

The videos posted by Jaime Cabrera and China Reyes, along with others that have exposed the scam on social media, have sparked a wave of reactions online, with hundreds of users sharing their experiences. Many confirmed receiving the fraudulent messages, with some noting they don’t even own a vehicle or have a toll account, underscoring the widespread nature of this scam. Among the responses, users reported receiving multiple messages on different days, with senders frequently changing. Additionally, there were reports of individuals who clicked the links and subsequently fell victim to financial theft.

On January 17, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a warning about this type of fraud, stating that scammers are sending fake messages on behalf of toll agencies. The FTC's statement cautions that these messages typically include a bogus debt amount and a link leading to a site that asks for banking or credit card information. The FTC emphasizes that these messages are not authentic and advises users to avoid clicking on the links, verify any supposed debts directly with the official toll agency, and report and delete these fraudulent messages. Additionally, they suggest reporting such messages using the "report as spam" feature on devices or forwarding them to the number 7726 (SPAM).

With the rising prevalence of these scams, authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and share information to prevent further victimization.