New York Thruway Drivers: Beware Of This Scam

Scammers are coming up with new ways left and right to steal the hard-earned money of vulnerable New Yorkers all over the Empire State, and this one targeted towards New York State drivers is just as despicable. 

Although no longer having to stop and pay at a toll booth when exiting the New York State Thruway can be incredibly convenient by spending up the process of getting to your destination, there has been some confusion from drivers. 

Many travelers prefer to use the E-ZPass system, which deducts the amount owed from an account that drivers can replenish when funds run out. However, other New York drivers prefer to make their payments after receiving a bill from New York State after their license plate is scanned. 

If you’re not diligent about keeping track of when and where you traveled, or if you’re not the best at checking your mail, you might not know how much you actually owe. That’s why scams like the following are incredibly dangerous. 

Don’t Fall For This New York State Thruway Scam

Thousands of New York State residents have received text messages that look like the screenshot below, stating that their vehicle was recorded using “NY TOLLS BY MAIL,” and requesting they pay off their balance before being charged a late fee. 

The image, which is an almost identical reproduction of New York’s actual “Tolls By Mail” logo, is also accompanied by a website. Whatever you do, don’t click on that website.

Eagle-eyed drivers who have received this text that the included website is NOT the actual website to pay your New York State Thruway toll bill, but rather a phishing scam that criminals use to steal a victim’s identity, personal, and financial information. 

The New York State Thruway has acknowledged this scam, and reiterates that 

“E-ZPass New York will never ask for a customer’s Date of Birth, Social Security Number, or other personally identifiable information.”

The only websites you should be paying your thruway tolls through are tollsbymailny.com or E-ZPassNY.com, and if you or a loved one has entered their information on a fraudulent website, it is highly advisable to file a complaint through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center here. 

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Please pass this warning along to your friends, family, and anyone you know who travels on the NYS Thruway. We need to do everything we can to keep our fellow New Yorkers safe. 

READ MORE: SCAM! Don’t Fall For This When Traveling Out Of New York State