Summer has arrived on Cape Cod, making this a busy time for both the Bourne and Sagamore bridges. The state’s expecting approval of a billion dollar federal grant in the next few weeks to start replacing the iconic structures.
”The bridges are nost…
Massachusetts
FBI warns about text scam targeting drivers: ‘These are sophisticated scams’
Drivers are being targeted in a new scam.
The FBI and Identity Theft Resource Center say reports of toll road scams are rapidly on the rise and may be moving from state to state.
“It’s definitely a well-executed scam. It’s purporting to be a small balance owed that is easily settled,” says FBI Supervisory Special Agent Keith Custer.
The FBI says it has received thousands of reports of the toll road scam since March. It starts with a message saying you owe money for unpaid tolls. The texts contain convincing language and links that are created to impersonate the state’s toll service name and system, making them appear legitimate.
Here is an example of one of the bogus messages: We’ve noticed an outstanding toll amount of $12.51 on your record. To avoid a late fee of $50 visit myturnpiketollservices.com to settle your balance.
If you click on the link, it is actually going to take you to what looks like a legitimate toll service website and it asks you for information to pay the outstanding toll charge.
“I think the real challenge for people here is that all of the communication, the websites, anything that’s incoming or that when they’re clicking on the links, it is so legitimate looking,” says Eva Velasquez, President and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. “These are sophisticated scams. You can’t just eyeball these things and go, oh, well, that website doesn’t look quite right. It hasn’t been updated or it’s fuzzy. They look absolutely real.”
If you click on the fake site, scammers can steal your credit card details and other personal information you provide.
“Unfortunately, a lot of consumers and people out there are busy folks and there’s lots of websites that need usernames and passwords and so those usernames and passwords are reused,” says Custer. “The scammers are essentially doing what’s called credential harvesting, so they are trying to collect these usernames and passwords and use them at places like Bank of America or Wells Fargo or Charles Schwab, anywhere where someone they may have a financial account and once they gain access to those accounts they can do some real damage.”
MassDOT says the targeted phone numbers in the toll road scam seem to be chosen at random and are not uniquely associated with an account or usage of toll roads. EZDriveMA will never request payment by text, and all links associated with EZDriveMA will include www.ezdrivema.com.
To avoid the scam, ignore any messages that claim you owe unpaid tolls. Any unsolicited texts, emails or similar messages suggesting they are from EZDriveMA or another toll agency.
With any unsolicited message, never click on a link, instead go directly to the source. In this case, that’s your state’s legitimate toll website where you can check your account directly.
“Here’s one of the strongest proactive consumer protection steps that you can take,” says Velasquez. “Use unique passwords across all of your accounts, 12 characters or longer. Don’t repeat it, use a unique one on every single different account. And that way, if one username and password is compromised, all you have to do is change that password. You don’t have to go and change that password across multiple accounts, and you’re making sure that the thieves can’t get into your other accounts if it’s compromised.”
“And more importantly still than that is to use two factor authentication so in addition to providing a username and password users should set up their account so they are required to input that six digit code that gets sent to your cell phone,” says Custer.
If you receive a suspicious message, contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. Be sure to include the phone number from where the text originated, and the website listed within the text.
If you think for any reason that your identity has been compromised, the Federal Trade Commission has a website at www.identitytheft.gov and it will walk you through the steps you need to take to report the crime and protect your credit.
Boston preparing for large turnout for Pride for the People Parade and Festival
A million people are expected to gather on the streets of Boston for Boston’s Pride for the People parade and festival on Saturday with events spanning from City Hall plaza to the South End and Boston Common.
Pride flags lined Tremont St. in the South End Friday morning in anticipation of the parade, including a large flag that draped down the front of Brian Gerhardson’s brownstone office near Clarendon St.
“It seems like a perfect place to have a very out loud and proud image,” said Gerhardson.
In past years, he loves to see people stop to look and take pictures with the impossible-to-miss colorful flag. He says many have shared how the sight resonates with them.
“Two people shared with me that they are a coupled relationship and at their work they can’t be out of the closet and they can’t be out loud and proud and they come by every year to see the flag because it allows them to experience something that they can’t do in their lives.”
Gerhardson said another parade spectator shared that he used to live in the South End and his job moved him away years ago.
“He was standing here and he was actually having an emotional experience being back in Boston for Pride and the parade and it was those are just examples of that this flag means important things to different people, and I’m honored to have a chance to learn what those meanings are for people,” he said.
Saturday the parade will move the celebration through the city from Copley Square to the Boston Common where a festival will be filled with entertainment and community groups.
Mayor Michelle Wu says the city is preparing for a large turnout.
“It is one of the best weekends of the year. It is also one of the biggest weekends of the year,” Wu said. “The joy and the celebration also requires a lot of detailed planning and logistics. “Our public safety agencies have been in close coordination with organizers for a very long time now and we will be there. I just encourage everyone to come out have fun as with any large-scale event just be aware of your surroundings.”
Adrianna Boulin, President of Boston Pride for the People, said the mission of Boston Pride for the People is “to amplify the beauty, rich diversity and unique culture of our LGBT+ communities through commemoration, celebration, education and empowerment.”
“We really invite people come and observe Pride in a way that aligns for the. Pride started as a protest, we welcome people having their voices heard and we want everyone to know they can observe pride in their own way in our space. We’re committed to creating a space where our community can observe with us,” Boulin said.
Wednesday, the organization published a statement noting this year’s theme is “a celebration of the extraordinary resilience of queer people everywhere.” It expressed solidarity with all queer people, acknowledging legislation across the country that seeks to “restrict queer lives” and countries around the world that criminalize same-sex, consensual sexual activity.
The statement also calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and release of hostages there.
“We are totally with individuals who are impacted by people who they love that are being harmed, any impact they are feeling with the lives who are being lost, injustices that are being experienced. Our hearts are with those individuals, thinking of anything happening in other parts of the world where our LGBTQ+ communities, or intersectional, marginalized communities in general are experiencing violence and are under attack. We as an organization stand with our community members and stand for peace,” said Bourin.
The organization has faced criticism from activist groups in Boston for involving police and corporations with ties to Israel and the war in Gaza. It addressed that in the statement, noting they do extensive research before accepting donations from any sponsors and that this year alone they have rejected thousands of dollars from sponsors that did not meet their qualifications.
“We’re a new organization hundred percent volunteer run, we are malleable. We’re humble,” Bourin said. “We want the community to be a part of building this and continue to think about ways for it to be inclusive of everyone within our community.”
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