Tech
E-ZPass toll scams are back. What to do if youre targeted.
You might've heard of those scam texts about tolls. Heck, at this point, you've likely gotten a text pretending to be from E-ZPass or some such entity.
We covered these scams at Mashable back in January, and they're back, if they ever left at all. The main points remain the same: Do not click any links and do not engage with potential scammers. If you get a text claiming to be from E-ZPass, FasTrak, or some other toll service, be very skeptical, as this has only become a more pervasive scam.
We've got the latest details to keep you up to date.
What are the E-ZPass and FasTrak scam texts, and how do you spot them?
The E-ZPass toll scam has evolved and shifted over time, but the broad strokes remain the same: a text from a random number claiming you have unpaid tolls or fees, and that you have to remedy that fact or face some sort of consequence. That should immediately ring alarm bells — scammers often want you to feel a sense of urgency in order to keep you from thinking through your actions. Usually, this text leads you to a link, which could be used to gather your personal information.
Here's an example of a recent version posted to Reddit that received a spirited response in the comments.
Look around online and you'll see lots of folks still posting about the scam texts, some four months after they began surfacing.
Once you're aware of the same, it should be pretty easy to spot. First: Check the sender. At first, these messages often came from a +63 country code, which is for the Philippines. Many of the posts online now indicate the scammers have moved on to random email addresses. Regardless, E-ZPass or other toll services are not sending emails from these sorts of phone numbers or addresses.
Second: Look at the link. DO. NOT. CLICK. THE. LINK. But often the link redirects to an obviously sketchy site.
Third: Know that this is not how E-ZPass, FasTrak, or other toll services operate. They will mail you any bills they owe, and they certainly will not threaten to suspend your driver's license.
What to do if you get an E-ZPass or FasTrak scam text?
Again, let us repeat, if you get a scam text: DO. NOT. CLICK. THE. LINK.
From there, most phones have a delete and report junk option for messages, which is what you should do. If you're concerned that there was a modicum of truth to the text, the Federal Trade Commission recommends contacting your local tolling agency to check if it's legit.
But for the most part, tread carefully with any text from an unknown number. If you have to question if you're being scammed, it's likely a scam.
Have a story to share about a scam or security breach that impacted you? Tell us about it. Email submissions@mashable.com with the subject line "Safety Net" or use this form. Someone from Mashable will get in touch.
Thousands of private ChatGPT conversations have been appearing in Google search results because of the chatbot's "Share" feature, which the company recently removed following a backlash.
Fast Company reported this week that ChatGPT users may have inadvertently made their conversations with the AI chatbot public and searchable. The Fast Company report found nearly 4,500 ChatGPT conversations in Google search results, some of them regarding mental health struggles, relationships, and other personal and sensitive topics. Fortunately, the public conversations did not identify the users behind the posts.
How did these conversations end up on the web?
Until recently, ChatGPT users had the ability to share chats with friends, family, or coworkers by making them public. The function worked similarly to the sharing settings on a Google Doc, and users would be given a public link to the chat they could send to others. An additional option gave users the option to make the post "discoverable," and specifically discoverable by Google — whether users realized it or not.
When users created a shareable link to one of their conversations, a pop-up would appear that read: "A public link to your chat has been created." A checkbox also appeared under this message, labeled "Make this chat discoverable." And in fine print below this message, a warning appeared: "Allows it to be shown in web searches."
By checking this box, users were making it possible for their conversations to be indexed by Google, meaning Google's web crawlers could identify the page and make it eligible to appear in search results.
After Fast Company published its report, OpenAI removed the feature, with one company leader calling it a "short-lived experiment."
OpenAI Chief Information Security Officer Dane Stuckey explained on X how the feature worked — and where it ultimately went wrong.
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Even though ChatGPT users had to opt in for their chats to become public, the company decided the potential for user error was simply too high.
As Mashable has reported previously, OpenAI is required to save user conversations — even conversations users have actively deleted — because of an ongoing lawsuit from the New York Times. As part of this suit, OpenAI must retain all conversations indefinitely. (This does not apply to ChatGPT Enterprise or ChatGPT Edu customers, according to OpenAI.)
So, while ChatGPT users can toggle on a "Temporary Chat" feature that's similar to an incognito mode in a web browser, your chat data may still be retained.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
If there’s one thing STAY know for sure about Hyunjin from Stray Kids, it's that the K-pop star has a deep, poetic love for flowers.
Whether he's painting delicate blossoms in his studio or on the road, sharing poems that echo the beauty of nature, or adorning his space with preserved petals, Hyunjin has made it clear: flowers are more than just pretty — they're a core part of how he expresses himself.
So it's no surprise that floral phone cases are his actual accessory of choice. On Instagram, the dancer has shared mirror selfies snapped during his global travels on the group's dominATE World Tour, and in several, his iPhone is dressed in a floral-covered case. If you don't know what case we're talking about, pop over to Instagram to see the floral case in question.
These rich, botanical designs perfectly capture his dreamy, introspective energy. And the best part? You can shop the same aesthetic to match your own phone to Hyunjin's signature style.
Romance with an edge
Dark and dramatic, this matte black Roses and Thorns phone case from Casetify is adorned with deep red roses and subtle gold detailing. It's elegant, bold, and unmistakably Hyunjin-coded. The design balances softness with edge, much like Hyunjin's stage presence itself. It's a clear favorite in his rotation and gives off serious romantasy vibes.
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Floral nostalgia, Hyunjin-style
This one's for the romantics. With dainty bouquets in pink, red, and white set against a matte black background, the Vintage Flower Monday case from Casetify has a worn-in, dreamy vibe, like something out of a vintage diary. The delicate florals and washed tones feel straight from Hyunjin's sketchbook, capturing that quiet elegance he's so known for.
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Hyunjin’s elegant life hack: a magnetic cardholder
Technically not a case, but definitely 100-percent Hyunjin. This Butterfly Sunday by Monika Strigel magnetic cardholder stand from Casetify features butterflies and white florals, and it’s been spotted attached to his phone more than once. During a 2024 livestream, Hyunjin explained that he'd stopped using a wallet "a long time ago" but kept misplacing his cards. The Snappy™ was a game-changer. He even called the accessory "amazing," and this is the second design he's been seen using. Stylish and practical? Very Hyunjin.
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These floral cases and accessories are romantic, artsy, and effortlessly cool. Just like him.
This is your last chance to get the original lineup of Nintendo Switch consoles before the prices go up on Aug. 3.
On Friday, Nintendo announced that it would be raising prices on the Nintendo Switch 1, Nintendo Switch OLED Model, Nintendo Switch Lite, and some Switch accessories. While the Nintendo statement didn't specify how much prices would increase, a popular Nintendo fan account on X spotted higher prices in effect at Target already. If these numbers are correct, then shoppers will soon face these prices:
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Nintendo Switch 1, originally $300, now $339.99
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Nintendo Switch OLED Model, originally $350, now $399.99
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Nintendo Switch Lite, originally $200, now $229.99
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Nintendo Joy-Con 2 controllers, originally $95, now $100
However, these higher prices haven't gone into effect at other retailers, which means gamers have about 48 hours to get the beloved console at the usual price.
As of this writing, all three of these consoles are available for sale at Walmart for their original prices. Unfortunately, the new Switch 2 landed with a higher price tag of $449. While it was consistently out of stock, a recent Switch 2 restock has changed that. But if that $449 price tag still gives you pause, you can still have a lot of fun on the original Switch, one of the greatest gaming consoles ever made.
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