The SunPass scam isn’t slowing down. Scammers are pretending to be SunPass, saying you have an unpaid toll and have to pay immediately.
So why are these scams so effective? Rey Navarro at the Achieva Credit Union on Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers gave us some insight.
"The reason SunPass is working so well, is because it targets drivers. So, it's a bigger population; it's not so specific that it leaves anybody out," Navarro said.
Navarro said these scammers are putting on the pressure.
"The sense of urgency, I always see that is the biggest thing. These scammers, what they try to do is put you in a point of pressure, and they try to get you to make a decision very quickly, and by doing so, that's when they take advantage of you," Navarro said.
The cash they're demanding usually isn't much. Navarro said that's on purpose, so you're more likely to click on the included link. The scammers don't really care about the money; they're after your data.
"The amount is minimal, so the impact is not seen as very dangerous. It's that link that you're going into and the information you're providing. That's where the real damage can be done," Navarro said.
If you do click the link, there can be some serious consequences.
"The information they're gathering from you is going to be used to take over your identity. You might be giving them information about your banking account history, so they'll be able to take either or both. And now, with that information, start accounts online. They could get credit on behalf of the information you gave them," Navarro said.
Navarro said the first thing you should do if you think you’ve been scammed is to call the company the scammers are claiming to be.
"If you ever feel like you've given out information, make sure immediately you write down anything and everything you provided. That way, when you come into a financial center, we're able to look at where you left off and know where we start that process of helping you," Navarro said.