ATTENTION: State Officials Advising Residents About Motor Vehicle Texting Scam

RARITAN TWP., N.J. (Hunterdon County) — The New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (“NJCCIC”) is alerting motorists of a new phishing scheme.

Over the last week, the NJCCIC has received several incident reports from Garden State residents regarding an SMS text phishing (“SMiShing”) scam impersonating the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (“NJMVC”). The state agency stresses that it only sends text messages to remind residents about scheduled appointments with the commission. They do not send text messages regarding driver’s licenses or vehicle registration status.

A key distinction to remember is that the NJMVC is a motor vehicle commission; if you receive correspondence alluding to the effect or variation of the New Jersey Department of Motor Vehicles, NJDMV, or motor vehicle department, DO NOT click on any external links or respond to the sender, and report the correspondence as spam.

These text messages claim that the recipient has an outstanding traffic ticket and payment is due. If not paid by a set date, the recipient will have their vehicle registration and driving privileges suspended, receive a toll booth charge increase, and their credit score will be impacted.

The URL displayed in the message includes “ezpassnj” and “.gov” to appear legitimate. The message itself does not allow the recipient to click the included link directly but instead instructs them to reply to the message with “Y” and reopen the message, click the provided link or to copy the URL to their web browser. These links redirect to fraudulent websites that seek to extract personally identifiable information, financial details, or account credentials – usually through a computer virus.

This SMiShing scheme is similar to other schemes that have circulated impersonating “NJ Turnpike toll services” agency and EZ-Pass claiming the user has an outstanding toll that needs to be paid to avoid a late fee. Residents are reminded that the fraudulent agency is not associated with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (“NJTA”) or any other toll agency in the New Jersey E-ZPass Group. For more information on the related scam, please see the Township press release here.

New Jersey E-ZPass does not send unsolicited text messages to collect payments. If your account is in collections and being handled by Credit Collection Services, you may receive text messages from Credit Collection Services regarding your account. Their text message will list a phone number, their website www.ccspayment.com, and reference a file number.

Hunterdon County Commissioner Director John E. Lanza previously offered guidance and emphasized the importance of spreading awareness about an earlier related scam:

“We urge residents to be cautious and verify the authenticity of communication they receive. Do not provide personal information to make payments in response to unsolicited texts, emails or phone calls. When in doubt, contact the official E-ZPass customer service department directly.”

NJTA advises motorists who believe they have received one of the bogus text messages to file a report with the Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/; and concerned residents are encouraged to contact the New Jersey E-ZPass customer service center directly at (888) 288-6865.

In addition, residents may also reference the following recommendations:

• Avoid clicking links, responding to, or otherwise acting on unsolicited text messages;
• Visit official websites directly to determine if there is an issue with an account or outstanding bill;
• Avoid submitting sensitive information, including financial or account details, to unverified websites; and
• Report SMiShing to …
  • The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center ("IC3");
  • The NJCCIC’s Cybersecurity Incident Reporting System; or
  • Forward the message via text message to 7-7-2-6 (SPAM).

About the agencies mentioned in this news release:

The New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (“NJCCIC”) is a component the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness' (“NJOHSP”) Division of Cybersecurity that provide cybersecurity information sharing, threat intelligence, and incident reporting. The NJCCIC works to make the Garden State more resilient to cyberattacks by promoting statewide awareness of cyber threats and widespread adoption of best practices. More information about the NJCCIC can be found at https://www.cyber.nj.gov/home-njccic and its parent agency, NJOHSP, at: https://www.njohsp.gov/.

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (“NJMVC”) is responsible for titling, registering and inspecting automobiles, and issuing driver's licenses with its 70+ locations statewide. It is also the equivalent authority of the Department of Motor Vehicles as titled in other states. More information about the NJMVC can be found at: https://www.nj.gov/mvc/index.html.

E-ZPass Interagency Group (“E-ZPass”) is an electronic toll collection system, which eliminates the need for cash. Tolls and discounts are automatically calculated as an E-ZPass customer passes through the toll lanes, bridges and tunnels in the eastern half of the United States. A small electronic device, called a tag or a transponder, is mounted on the vehicle’s windshield. When the vehicle passes through a toll, the tag is read, and the transaction is calculated and processed. More information can be found at: https://www.e-zpassiag.com/, its New Jersey Division at: https://e-zpassiag.com/31-about-e-zpass/map/92-nj, and https://www.ezpassnj.com/en/home/news.shtml.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (“NJTA”) is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway. It manages the financial and operational aspects of these toll roads, ensuring they provide a safe, efficient, and resilient transportation system. More information about the NJTA can be found at: https://www.njta.com/.

The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) is an independent federal agency entrusted to enforce civil antitrust law and promote consumer protection. When users report fraud, that information is shared with more than 2,800 law enforcement agencies and assists investigators to bring cases against fraud, scams, and bad business practices. More information about the FTC can be found at: https://www.ftc.gov/.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) is the principal federal law enforcement agency afforded the jurisdiction to investigate violations of more than 200 categories of federal crimes, including offenses related to civil rights, public corruption, terrorism, counterintelligence, fraud, and cybercrime. A component of the U.S. Department of Justice and acting as the domestic intelligence and security service for the country, the FBI is a member of the U.S. Intelligence Community and reports to both the attorney general and the director of national intelligence. Its Internet Crime Complaint Center (“IC3”) serves as the central hub for reporting cyber-enabled crime. For more information, visit: https://www.fbi.gov/.

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Disclaimer: Any external weblinks connected through the Raritan Township (hereinafter “Township”) website, the “My Raritan Township” mobile application, and any communication medium that officially represents the Township as a government entity, are provided as a convenience for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the Township of any product, service or opinion of the associated corporations, organizations or individuals. The Township bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Inquiries related to the external site and its content must be directed to the point-of-contact of the external site.

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