Like the phishing attacks from which it takes its name, smishing attacks are carried out over SMS messaging, taking the form of a notice that appears to be from a state agency stating the user owes money for tolls. Following a smishing link can have unfortunate consequences, including stolen money, illegal access to private information, or loading a virus onto the user’s phone.
Smishing attacks are on the rise in states with toll road systems that allow for automated payment (and even in some states that’s don’t), leaving drivers confused, frustrated, and vulnerable to fraud. With tens of thousands of attacks in nearly half the country’s states since mid-2023, state transportation agencies face a crucial responsibility to protect residents from these scams and restore trust in official toll communications.
Secure government notifications are the key to mitigating these threats and providing residents with the peace of mind they deserve. Verified notification systems can help state transportation agencies fight fraud, ensure secure communication, and protect their reputation.
The impact of toll road smishing attacks: What state DOTs need to know
Toll road users in 20 different states have reported receiving fraudulent toll notices, with the numbers increasing significantly in recent months. This can lead to confusion and a lack of trust in government communications. Compounding the issue, many of these notices feature an official-looking state DOT logo and emails that, without careful review, can be mistaken for actual governmental email addresses.
Individuals caught up in a smishing scam can suffer financial losses, as well as time lost as they take steps to retrieve stolen identity information and other valuable data. The negative effects on state DOTs can be long-lasting and difficult to recover from. These can include:
- Loss of Trust: Trust in state agencies erodes when residents can’t distinguish between legitimate toll payment notices and fraudulent ones. The longer the fraud persists, the more it harms the relationship between the agency and the public.
- Financial Risk: Fraudsters are not only stealing money from drivers, but they’re also creating confusion that could lead to late toll payments, increased fines, and even legal issues for residents who inadvertently pay the wrong entity.
- Increased Workload: Scam reports require agencies to divert valuable resources to investigate and address fraudulent claims, further draining budget and workforce resources from other vital tasks.
Using secure notifications to help prevent scams
Secure government notifications make it impossible for scammers to impersonate state agencies’ digital communications. With a secure messaging system, only authorized government agencies can send legitimate toll notices to drivers, ensuring all communications are authenticated and trusted.
First, notifications allow for verified sender identity. When an agency uses verified, secure notifications, the sender identity is authenticated across all communication channels. This means that residents will always recognize the agency’s official name, logo, and domain. By using trusted, official channels like email, SMS, and mobile apps, DOTs can reduce the risk of fraudsters impersonating their agency.
Taking an omnichannel outreach helps further strengthen this connection through increased awareness of important toll road updates transmitted consistently across multiple channels. Whether in their car, at home, or on the go, users who receive clear, accurate, and actionable messages directly from an agency with a consistent look and tone will help make it easier to identify potential smishing or phishing attacks. An omnichannel approach ensures department messages land in the right place and make an impact.
Achieving a successful and impactful increase in communications requires a system that allows a high deliverability rate. Notifications need to land in a user’s inbox, not their spam folder. Secure, verified notification platforms ensure your messages are delivered with more than 98% deliverability, ensuring every alert is received on time.
Perhaps most importantly in the battle against smishing attacks for toll road users, having secure payment links in place make sure legitimate fees are being paid to legitimate accounts. Including secure, encrypted links to official payment portals for toll violations or payments ensures residents never have to worry about falling for phishing scams. These secure links make it easy for drivers to complete transactions safely and confidently.
By implementing a verified notification system, state transportation agencies can:
- Protect Residents from Fraud: Safeguard drivers from scams and ensure they only receive legitimate communications from the agency.
- Improve Public Trust: Residents will know that any communication regarding toll payments is official, restoring confidence in the agency.
- Reduce Administrative Workload: With fraud prevention in place, agency teams won’t need to spend as much time responding to scam reports or dealing with disputes.
- Increase Toll Payment Compliance: Clear, direct communication boosts compliance, as drivers are more likely to act when they trust the source.
Implementing a secure, verified notification system takes less time than one might think. Partnering with a trusted provider like Granicus ensures agencies can send authentic toll road notices to residents without worry.
Granicus brings years of helping state transportation agencies implement secure, high-deliverability notifications across email, SMS, and mobile apps. By doing so, agencies can trust that only verified government communications reach the public, preventing fraud and protecting your agency’s reputation.
Toll road payment scams are a serious problem, but with secure notifications, state transportation agencies can protect the public and restore trust in their communications. Don’t wait until the next scam hits — take proactive steps today to ensure your toll road notifications are secure, reliable, and trusted.
Ready to learn more about how our verified notification platform can help your agency fight fraud and increase toll payment compliance?
Contact us today to schedule a demo.
