Kenner Police Seize Fake ‘GeauxPass’ Website Hosted on Russian Server
The Kenner Police Department has successfully shut down a fraudulent “GeauxPass” website, used by scammers to deceive victims into handing over their banking information to pay bogus fees.
The counterfeit site, www.geauxpass.info, was hosted on a server in Russia and mimicked the official Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development’s toll tag website, www.geauxpass.com. According to Lt. Mark McCormick, spokesperson for the Kenner police, the phony site was designed to trick users into believing it was legitimate.
Over recent weeks, scammers sent out text messages posing as GeauxPass, threatening recipients with fines unless they paid $3.75 in unpaid toll fees. These messages included a link directing victims to the fraudulent website.
GeauxPass officials had already alerted the public to the scam last week. However, after three Kenner police detectives, including Detective Brad Ricke, received the deceptive texts, the department sought assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
In collaboration with HSI and the National Intellectual Property Rights Center, Kenner police secured a warrant from the 24th Judicial District Court, permitting them to seize the fake web domain.
Now, visitors to www.geauxpass.info are redirected to a server in the United States, where they see a notice indicating that the domain and IP address have been seized by federal and state authorities for computer fraud.
This incident is an example of a “smishing” scam, which involves using text messages (SMS) to trick victims, similar to how “phishing” scams operate through email. The goal of these scams is to coerce victims into providing their bank account or personal information.
Lt. Mark McCormick emphasized that government agencies like GeauxPass will never notify people of unpaid fees via text messages. Instead, they will send a letter to the home address registered with the tag.
Avoiding Smishing Scams
The Federal Trade Commission offers several tips to help individuals protect themselves from smishing scams:
- Never click links, reply to text messages, or call numbers you don’t recognize.
- Do not respond to messages, even if they request that you “text STOP” to end messages.
- Delete all suspicious texts immediately.
- Ensure your smart device’s operating system and security applications are up to date with the latest versions.
- Consider installing anti-malware software on your device for added security.
- Protect sensitive personal information—such as bank accounts, health records, and social media accounts—by using multi-factor authentication to access them.
Staying vigilant and understanding these scams are crucial steps in protecting your personal information from cybercriminals. By following these guidelines, you can reduce the risk of falling victim to such deceptive schemes.
