Georgia Officials Warn Drivers of Peach Pass Scam Texts

ATLANTA, Ga. — Georgia transportation officials are alerting residents about a surge of fraudulent text messages impersonating the Peach Pass system. The phishing scam has been reported by drivers across the state, claiming they owe money for unpaid tolls, and it may resemble similar schemes hitting other states, including Massachusetts and California.

The deceptive messages threaten penalties or legal action if payment isn’t made immediately. Ericka Bayonne, a spokesperson for the State Road and Tollway Authority, urges the public to disregard the texts. “This is not Peach Pass. This is not the State Road and Tollway Authority,” she stated.

Officials reported instances where individuals clicked on links within the texts, leading to further complications. “Unfortunately, we do have people who have succumbed to this and they’ve clicked on the links,” Bayonne said, emphasizing that the Peach Pass will never request payment via text.

The scam messages often feature a URL containing “MyPeachPass.com” followed by a series of random characters. Bayonne cautioned, “Don’t think that because you see ‘MyPeachPass.com’ embedded in the domain name that it’s us.” Following the increase in scam reports, the State Road and Tollway Authority has escalated the issue to the FBI and FCC for further investigation.

Rajiv Garg, an associate professor at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, explained the psychological tactics used in these scams. “They want to know who you are. And once they validate by responding, they can target you even more,” Garg said, advising individuals to report these texts rather than reply.

Officials recommend that anyone who receives a suspicious text should click “Report Junk” to help cell carriers track the source of the scam. Bayonne also stated that legitimate notifications regarding toll debts will always be communicated via mail, allowing recipients to verify the information by contacting the authority directly.