The Journal. No, Your Toll Payment Is Not Overdue
102 snips
Oct 22, 2025 
Robert McMillan, a cybersecurity reporter at The Wall Street Journal, dives deep into a staggering toll-text scam raking in over $1 billion for criminals. He sheds light on how these fake messages play on urgency to trick victims into giving away credit card details. McMillan explains the mechanics of SIM farms that send mass spam and the intricate methods scammers use to convert stolen cards into cash. He also discusses why it's so challenging for banks and telecom companies to combat these frauds, emphasizing the need for vigilance before reacting to urgent messages.
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Producer Got An EasyPass Threat
- A producer received a text saying “easy pass, final notice” with a payment link that threatened DMV action.
- Robert McMillan and colleagues reported many listeners get similar toll-scam texts across the U.S.
SIM Farms Power A Billion-Dollar Operation
- The Department of Homeland Security links these toll-text operations to Chinese organized crime and SIM farms.
- DHS estimates the scam has already generated over $1 billion and might be far larger.
How SIM Boxes Scale Spam
- SIM boxes host dozens of SIM cards and let operators send spam from many phone numbers at once.
- These devices allow people in China to remotely pump SMS through local U.S. networks via rented boxes.