A suspicious Text Message is being circulated claiming to be from Linkt toll company. The text message is being sent only with the intention to loot all your money or steal your personal information. The Text Message either directs the customers to pay for the failed toll payment or clicks on the link that is provided in the Text.
Linkt has released an official statement on its website stating that they are aware of the phishing texts that are being circulated and they have urged the customers to look out for the scam and report it at once.
Have you received a Linkt text message to renew your account by paying money? Read along to know whether it is a fancy hustle or not.
What is Linkt?
Linkt is Transurban’s eTAG tolling brand in Australia. A Linkt account will help you travel on all toll roads in Australia, including Sydney’s Linkt network and Queensland toll roads.
Linkt provides you with convenient and hassle-free options to pay for your toll travel and lets you manage your account via the app, online, or over the phone and access toll road networks.
How does Linkt Text Message Scam work?
Scammers are sending text messages pretending to be from Linkt. If you have received a text message requesting you pay a failed toll payment, it is probably a scam. There are many people who have taken the bait and lost a lot of money in Linkt Text scams.
The text usually contains a link and when clicked you will be directed to another website that appears to be legitimate, asking you to fill in personal information. The link once opened might infect your computer with malware. Hence it is not wise to click on the link and definitely never provide your sensitive information. Once you receive such bogus text it is strongly advised to delete it immediately.
If you even have the slightest doubt regarding the legitimacy of the Text Message it is better to contact Link directly and resolve all your doubts.
The scammers send these spoofed texts in an attempt to gain your personal details. They further misuse this information and steal your identity. Unsuspecting customers fall into the fraudsters’ trap by giving money or worse their personal information.
Alarming signs
Linkt’s official page is actually sending out a text to update your payment mode. But do note that there is no link that is attached to the text. Scammers are using this as an advantage and sending out fake texts.
The texts are often indicating matters of urgency. They scare you by saying that your account for a number of unpaid tolls and have to be paid immediately. Fraudsters use spoofing techniques to look genuine. They attach a link to the text asking you to fill out card details and such sensitive information in order to renew your account.
Look out for poor sentence formation and grammatical errors in the Text Message sent by scammers and the URL of the link provided will always be suspicious. Come out of the link once you find it creepy without providing any more information to scam you.
A lot of people have already made a case on Linkt tree phishing text scams. An Australian woman had received a text of such nature which urged her to pay for the unpaid toll. Thinking that it was legit she paid $20 only to find out just a few days later her credit card was charged $4000! And when she contacted the bank regarding the matter the bank said it was “not their problem”.
So take utmost care when you see such texts and take precautionary measures before making any sort of payment.
How to protect yourself?
The minute you receive such texts do not panic. Connect with a Linkt customer care correspondent and verify whether the text is genuine or not. If it is not, make sure to delete them firsthand before clicking on the link provided. When you read the text and there’s a sense of urgency, they’re asking for payment details or the website looks shady, alarm bells should be ringing.
The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) said it had received about 750 reports of Linkt Text Message Scam. An ACCC spokesperson said recipients received a text message with a link that directed them to pay a bill or provide details, and victims had already lost about $29,000.
Linkt Message Scam: Conclusion
Linkt Scam is on the rise. Scammers are using advanced technologies to look legitimate. Do not let this fool you. Stay vigilant and look out for the red flags that the text message gives out.
Never give your financial information to strangers. Talk to Linkt before you make any payment and save yourself from such crooks.
If you have lost a significant amount of money to online scams, do not lose hope. We can help you recover your funds!
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