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(Iowa City, IA) -- The latest cyber scam going around Iowa is a text message from the Department of Motor Vehicles reminding you to pay for your EZ Pass tolls. However, Iowa doesn't have any toll roads. Doug Jacobson is Director of the Center for Cyber Security at Iowa State University.
"You know, today all of the toll systems know how to read your license plates," Jacobson said. "So, people in their mind may think, 'okay, I must've driven through one and didn't notice.'"
He says that's not the only way scammers are getting smarter. They often mask themselves as someone doing something good for you.
"They pretend to be a financial institution," Jacobson says. "Some sort of money transaction is involved. They'll try to say, 'oh, sorry we billed you for this. Can I have your bank account information and we'll credit the money back to you.'"
He reminds to never do that kind of business over the phone.
"No business you're working with will ever ask for things they already know about you," Jacobson says. "The bank will never ask for your bank account. They'll never ask for your password. They'll never ask for your Social Security number."
Jacobson says to watch for IRS scams in the next few weeks, especially as Tuesday's tax deadline approaches.