Linkt (Toll Roads) Scams - Am I Being Tracked?

bbinc on 10/03/2024 - 11:14
Last edited 10/03/2024 - 11:50 by 1 other user

I don’t travel on CityLink (Melbourne) often, but the last four times, I’ve received scam messages about an unpaid/overdue invoice or toll, as well as true genuine Linkt successful top-up notification.

They are easy enough to spot, but the timing seems to be triggered by my travel, or by the genuine notification.

Is anyone aware whether it’s technically possible for an app of some kind to be tracking my notifications, my toll account, or my actual travel?

Poll below. Please suggest other options and I’ll add them.

Poll Options expired

  • 91
    Pure co-incidence
  • 2
    Bad actor app on my phone
  • 9
    Leak from the toll company system
  • 5
    Paranoia
  • 1
    The Apple airtag on my keys
  • 2
    Something else
Automotive Toll Road

Related Stores

Linkt
Linkt

Comments

  • CodeXD on 10/03/2024 - 11:26
    +12

    Pure coincidence

    I've never travelled on CityLink before and I also get those Linkt scam SMSes lol

  • Dollar General on 10/03/2024 - 11:29
    +8

    They are both scams.

    Governments privatising the gains like always.

  • payless69 on 10/03/2024 - 11:36
    +2

    Getting them texts almost every night 3000km away!

  • SnowDragon on 10/03/2024 - 11:46
    +2

    I've never driven outside of Tas and I have 15 texts about tolls/linkt. It's basically weekly at this point.

  • Twix on 10/03/2024 - 11:54
    +1

    Most of the time it's a coincidence. If you gave someone remote access to your device they can see everything but this is unlikely.

    There was a scam bust recently in Sydney. These guys allegedly sent 80 million SMS scams.

  • ihfree on 10/03/2024 - 12:07
    +2

    Likely a coincidence, though, your number may have been in a leak at one point.

    I use Google messages with spam protection enabled and it catches most of the fake toll messages and other spam.

    • bbinc on 10/03/2024 - 12:23

      Yes, number and more have been leaked in the past. I just got a bit spooked by the timing - only getting them when I travel on the toll road.

      • ihfree on 10/03/2024 - 13:59
        +2

        Is there any content that make you think they're legitimate or know more about you?

        Here's a selection of toll related scams I've received with the link removed -

  • AngoraFish on 10/03/2024 - 12:09
    +6

    If scammers had that level of access to your device and accounts they sure as hell would be doing more than just sending you an occasional badly written, generic text message.

    • bbinc on 10/03/2024 - 12:26

      That's a good point - thanks. It's just the timing …

  • holdenmg on 10/03/2024 - 12:11

    You can report Spam @
    https://www.linkt.com.au/contact-us/report-scam

  • Stewardo on 10/03/2024 - 12:12

    I haven’t owned a car for 20yrs, but I still get these messages once a week. SMS and email.

    Would be getting your details from a data leak for sure

  • life is suffering on 10/03/2024 - 13:23

    OP are you sure you didn’t travel? Call linkt and check ?

    • bbinc on 10/03/2024 - 13:45
      +1

      Oh, I did travel, and the texts from Linkt are genuine, it just freaks me that I seem to only get the fakes when I travel. Apart from that that I ignore the fakes.

  • Ghost47 on 10/03/2024 - 13:41
    +1

    As mentioned your number is probably just getting hit by one of them mass SMS scams because of a data breach. Lately when I've been getting the texts they've been arriving at 3 or 4 am.

  • barge-in hunter on 10/03/2024 - 13:59
    +1

    A situation like that would be pretty disconcerting, but it’s more than likely coincidence - there’s been a huge increase in these specific toll scams lately, with a local arrest or two

    Technically, there are some very convoluted ways a scammer might be able to join the dots between you and your use of the linkt app - your id from an advertising provider say, being in an advertising category of “people who are interested in toll road use/active toll road users” (you’ll be in one of those if the linkt app contains a 3rd party advertising sdk like Facebook, GoogleAds, twitterX etc) but it would require them somehow linking that ID back to your email address, which would require some pretty dodgy stuff. It’s so unlikely given the effort and potential $ they could scam most people for….

    Just remember, all they care about is quick and easy money. As soon as something is difficult, they just move on to the next person.

    Unless you’re an individual with access to state secrets or someone who has permission to move lots and lots and lots of money around (and advertise your position on somewhere like LinkedIn), I wouldn’t take it personally - just disregard them and try not to worry too much

  • bbinc on 10/03/2024 - 16:25

    Thanks, that’s very illuminating! I don’t have state secrets or disposable money, but Linkedin annoys me a lot. I needed it at one stage, and it has connected me to people i want to stay in touch with, but it casts me out to thousands. Time to ditch it!

  • BoltThrower on 10/03/2024 - 16:54

    Get an app called "TrueCaller" and it'll filter known scammers for both SMS and Calls.

  • altomic on 10/03/2024 - 20:55
    -2

    You needbto pay them or you'll go to jail by the police.

    To avoid you must pay money via Western Union or Apple gift cards.

    Send codes to - [email protected]

  • 2esc on 11/03/2024 - 08:49

    I get these sms messages maybe once or twice a year having not used a toll road in about 5 years i know its a scam but people worry there has been a mistake and check.

  • Loopholio on 11/03/2024 - 10:00

    Your toll invoice has been generated. Secure your account by paying promptly. Visit [shady link] to pay.

    I got this one at 2am this morning. I get about one toll SMS spam per week and I've never driven a car or had a licence.

    It's just background noise, nothing to be concerned about.

  • skillet on 13/03/2024 - 15:18

    Just login into Linkt manually and have a look ignore those messages.

  • Hackney on 14/03/2024 - 07:17

    It’s a scam, nothing else.We get them all the time.

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