(Illustration by Emma Kumer/The Washington Post)

A new twist in scamming are text messages that claim you have an unpaid toll and that may try to evade your phone’s security measures.

Officials in at least four states — New York, California, Massachusetts and Connecticut — have recently warned people about an apparent spate of texts with bogus payment demands for unpaid tolls.

Toll payment scams are an old favorite of crooks. New York officials have said some of the phony claims reference a new tolling program that aims to cut traffic in Manhattan.

The toll scam is a reminder of two realities: Criminals seize on whatever is topical or novel — such as a new toll you’re not used to paying — but they also use well-worn playbooks. That information can empower you to outwit scams.

Here’s what is going on with the zombie toll scam that never dies and how to protect yourself.

What’s happening with the latest toll scams

Some bogus texts have mentioned California’s FasTrak toll operator and EZDriveMA in Massachusetts.

Officials in New York said some texts have purported to come from “NY Toll Services,” a nonexistent entity. (Official state toll authorities are associated with E-ZPass and a legitimate website is TollsByMailNY.com.)

California’s attorney general said authorities don’t send text messages to people who don’t have accounts with state toll operators.

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Toll scams are a classic criminal tactic. They sometimes peak when people are traveling a lot, including over unfamiliar roads during the December holidays.

It’s difficult to quantify the possible rebound of toll scams. Transaction Network Services, whose technology verifies that business calls are legitimate, said it has seen a recent increase in bogus phone calls and texts that claim you have an unpaid bill or a task requiring your approval, such as rerouting a missed package delivery.

A scam text demanding payment for unpaid tolls. (Washington Post illustration; Monique Woo/The Washington Post/TWP)

In a nasty twist, at least some recent phony toll demands ask recipients to reply “Y” and then reopen the text or copy the included web link into an iPhone’s Safari browser.

Technology news site Bleeping Computer reported this tactic may be a way around security measures in Apple’s iMessage that blocks you from opening links from unknown senders. If you reply to the text, the links are no longer blocked.

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What to do about this latest toll scam

Do not engage: The best advice about toll texts — or any messages that you’re not expecting — is to assume they’re a scam until proved otherwise.

If you receive a text that you didn’t expect or want, do not reply, even to text “STOP.” Bogus message senders will not quit.

Don’t pay money over text or click on links in the message. That can let a crook plant malicious software on your device to steal money or personal information.

Verify the information another way: Eva Velasquez, chief executive of the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center, got a text recently asking for a toll payment and took a minute to decide what to do.

The text did have specifics about the make and model of her car and the date the toll was assessed. (Examples of toll scam texts that I’ve seen didn’t have those details.) Velasquez figured this was from a toll road she traveled to visit relatives.

Rather than click the link in the text, though, Velasquez went to the website of the toll operator to check her account. She really did owe money.

“Our blanket advice to people now is if you didn’t initiate the contact, go to the source and verify,” Velasquez said.

You can do a web search to find the official toll operator in the state or city you drove through and reach it via contact information you find through its website. Don’t use a phone number or other information in the likely scam text.

Report the bogus text: You can typically report texts messages as spam or junk on your phone and block the number. That helps companies involved in calls and texts to spot patterns in scams and try to stop them, said John Haraburda, a director of product management at Transaction Network Services.

Read more about settings to filter out unwanted texts, or check the spam and junk message reporting instructions for Apple devices and the Google Messages app for Android phones.

You can also report scams to the Federal Trade Commission and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Be empathetic to yourself and others. Michelle Singletary, The Washington Post’s wise personal finance columnist, wrote recently about why a lot of scam-prevention advice stinks.

We know a lot of the tips to spot scams, including what I just wrote.

But scams work because we’re human. We make mistakes. Fear, greed, stress and a willingness to help others can temporarily override anyone’s logic and street smarts. Believing only fools fall for scams is a way to feel in control — but it risks making you overconfident and unfairly shaming crime victims.

If you feel that you’re wise about scam prevention, Velasquez said you can offer to be an advocate and resource for friends, family members and people in your community who feel less confident when they receive a questionable contact.

Know your trusted resources. If you have questions or need help:

• Call or text the Identity Theft Resource Center at 888-400-5530 or go to the website, where there are online chat options.

• Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network helpline at 877-908-3360, or go online at aarp.org/fraudhelpline