The internet has always been a double-edged sword.

The rise of the internet gave way to online shopping. It also improved communication, making it easier to connect with our friends and family from across the country, but it has also given scammers a larger playground.

That's a lesson that over 300,000 customers of Linkt, one of the biggest Australian companies in the toll road industry, have learnt the hard way.

The scam started with customers receiving a text message from someone posing as Linkt, claiming that the customer had unpaid toll fees. One text read: 'Past Due Final Reminder: Please be aware of your last unpaid toll trip.'

'Please pay your toll immediately to avoid fines.'

Over 300,000 Linkt customers received a text scam regarding unpaid bills. Image source: pvproductions on Freepik.

The text then directs the recipients to a fake Linkt website, where they can 'resolve the matter' within two business days under the threat of a fine.

However, it wasn’t only Linkt customers that received such texts, it was reported that many non-customers have received the messages as well.

In light of the scam, a Transurban spokesperson gave a statement saying: 'We are aware of an SMS phishing scam that is using the Linkt and Transurban brands.'

They reportedly have contacted over five million customers and shared information on how to protect themselves against such scams and how to recognise fake Linkt accounts and messages.

'We will never ask you to reply to an email or SMS with your financial information or personal information,' they assured.

'If we need you to manage your account, we will always direct you to log into your account directly via linkt.com.au or the Linkt app.'

'Our cybersecurity team is working with telecommunications providers to identify and block phone numbers sending these texts, and in the last year, Linkt customers have reported over 335,000 scam messages to us.’

'As a result, we’ve worked with telecommunications providers to block over 20,000 unique mobile numbers and over 1900 fraudulent URLs.’

'If you receive a message from someone claiming to be Linkt or Transurban that doesn’t seem quite right, don’t click on the link.'

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Australians have reportedly lost $74 million to online scams in the previous year.

Furthermore, the ACCC warns everyone to be very wary of any website that:

• Sells items at significantly lower prices compared to usual and other websites
• Has unusual payment methods such as gift cards or Bitcoin
• Only shows positive reviews or reviews that lack detail
• Has urgent warnings or error messages that ask you to click on a link
• Has advertisements that would give you access to quick and easy money with little or no effort and risk at all

You can also report the scam to the ACCC through this link: https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam

Key Takeaways

• Over 300,000 Australians have reported receiving scam texts from scammers posing as toll road company Linkt, claiming that they owe unpaid toll fees.
  
• The company is aware of the phishing scam and has contacted five million customers with information on how to identify genuine Linkt communications and protect themselves from scams.
  
• Linkt's cybersecurity team is cooperating with telecommunications providers to identify and block numbers sending these fraudulent texts, with over 335,000 scam messages reported. As a result, over 20,000 unique mobile numbers and over 1900 fraudulent URLs have been blocked.
  
• Australians lost $74 million to online scams last year, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
  

Members, did you also receive a similar text from Linkt? How about from other service providers? Share your experience with us in the comments below!

 

[Zemo]

I got a text as well and don't own a car, sent it on to Scam Watch.

So you sent it on to Scam Watch -- result? Immediate reaction? "Thanks, but no thanks? Far fewer instances of the fake notice being sent out? The site closed down? I'd loooove to know what happens when people do this. I've seen that advice many times, but never heard of a lessening of these scourges.

 

[Rob44]

With automated cameras on toll roads reading number plates and and the need to use toll roads to get round/through such horrible conurbations as Melbourne in a timely manner how does a country-side hick on tour from interstate sort out paying tolls?

 

[pelly13]

The internet has always been a double-edged sword.

The rise of the internet gave way to online shopping. It also improved communication, making it easier to connect with our friends and family from across the country, but it has also given scammers a larger playground.

That's a lesson that over 300,000 customers of Linkt, one of the biggest Australian companies in the toll road industry, have learnt the hard way.

The scam started with customers receiving a text message from someone posing as Linkt, claiming that the customer had unpaid toll fees. One text read: 'Past Due Final Reminder: Please be aware of your last unpaid toll trip.'

'Please pay your toll immediately to avoid fines.'

View attachment 31476

Over 300,000 Linkt customers received a text scam regarding unpaid bills. Image source: pvproductions on Freepik.

The text then directs the recipients to a fake Linkt website, where they can 'resolve the matter' within two business days under the threat of a fine.

However, it wasn’t only Linkt customers that received such texts, it was reported that many non-customers have received the messages as well.

In light of the scam, a Transurban spokesperson gave a statement saying: 'We are aware of an SMS phishing scam that is using the Linkt and Transurban brands.'

They reportedly have contacted over five million customers and shared information on how to protect themselves against such scams and how to recognise fake Linkt accounts and messages.

'We will never ask you to reply to an email or SMS with your financial information or personal information,' they assured.

'If we need you to manage your account, we will always direct you to log into your account directly via linkt.com.au or the Linkt app.'

'Our cybersecurity team is working with telecommunications providers to identify and block phone numbers sending these texts, and in the last year, Linkt customers have reported over 335,000 scam messages to us.’

'As a result, we’ve worked with telecommunications providers to block over 20,000 unique mobile numbers and over 1900 fraudulent URLs.’

'If you receive a message from someone claiming to be Linkt or Transurban that doesn’t seem quite right, don’t click on the link.'

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Australians have reportedly lost $74 million to online scams in the previous year.

Furthermore, the ACCC warns everyone to be very wary of any website that:

• Sells items at significantly lower prices compared to usual and other websites
• Has unusual payment methods such as gift cards or Bitcoin
• Only shows positive reviews or reviews that lack detail
• Has urgent warnings or error messages that ask you to click on a link
• Has advertisements that would give you access to quick and easy money with little or no effort and risk at all

You can also report the scam to the ACCC through this link: https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam

Key Takeaways

• Over 300,000 Australians have reported receiving scam texts from scammers posing as toll road company Linkt, claiming that they owe unpaid toll fees.
• The company is aware of the phishing scam and has contacted five million customers with information on how to identify genuine Linkt communications and protect themselves from scams.
• Linkt's cybersecurity team is cooperating with telecommunications providers to identify and block numbers sending these fraudulent texts, with over 335,000 scam messages reported. As a result, over 20,000 unique mobile numbers and over 1900 fraudulent URLs have been blocked.
• Australians lost $74 million to online scams last year, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Members, did you also receive a similar text from Linkt? How about from other service providers? Share your experience with us in the comments below!

Thats old news I was being targeted by the scammers 6 months ago and i live 2000 klms from the nearest Toll Road, but I do have a Tag that i keep in the car for whenever i go to Brisbane

 

[Arthur]

I have had a number of these Linkt scams over the last 6 months. My fees are always directly debited by Linkt from my credit card so I am aware that they are scams. But they don't give up.

 

[MarieT]

I think it’s hilarious ! Still trying to find a toll road I WA

 

[Observer]

Well it might be old news to some of you but I’ve just started receiving these emails yesterday, so instead of being so negative in your response’s, how about help warn others that don’t know about this scam like Maddie and Jon are doing.

 

[magpie1]

It would certainly help if more of these calls were reported to Linkt's cybersecurity team, so that they can get these numbers blocked and tracked with the help of telecommunications providers.....any information is helpful to these people, who are trying to eliminate or at least slow down these scammers.

 

[VJB]

I get them all the time, but it always seems to be when I have been through a Toll, which makes me think there is some connection. I alway check my account I never click on the link and it's always fine. But it makes you wonder.

 

[Catherines]

Yes, just delete. We were getting texts at 3am. Used to wake us up as we were keeping our mobile phones on bedside table (sound off but vibrate on) so now they are kept in another room during the night. These idiots don’t even realise which country the numbers relate to & just send any time to say “parcel could not be delivered” etc at 3am. Our 3 children know to use our landline in emergency after 9pm. We have a phone extension beside our bed so anything else must be a scam. Had many “parcel delivery” scams & we’ve not ordered anything.

 

[Catherines]

It would certainly help if more of these calls were reported to Linkt's cybersecurity team, so that they can get these numbers blocked and tracked with the help of telecommunications providers.....any information is helpful to these people, who are trying to eliminate or at least slow down these scammers.

The scammers most often use non-existent, non-contactable phone numbers - a lot is done by remote answering services or AI, if you like. Just pick up your phone when you don’t recognise a number & you’ll probably get a recorded message or no answer at all. So no use reporting most of these messages - but anyone that wants to can report it, most often to no avail.

 

[Catherines]

Replying is pointless, as the source is disguised by the use of a non-existent number. If you reply, you confirm that your number is real. That is probably passed onto other scamming systems.

ABSOLUTELY. Don’t even answer, just delete.