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‘Don’t respond’ | MnDOT warns of E-ZPass text message scam
MnDOT said E-ZPass will never text or email drivers to ask for personal information.
ST PAUL, Minn. — Drivers may hop into the toll express lane to breeze past slower traffic, but don’t be too quick to respond to a growing scam involving allegedly outstanding toll payments.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation is warning people about fraudulent email and text messages claiming to be from the E-ZPass toll payment service. The messages often arrive in the form of a photo with the E-ZPass logo, claiming a “recent journey” incurred a charge that must be settled “promptly to prevent any additional late fees,” with a link.
“Don’t respond,” MnDOT said on the Minnesota E-ZPass website. “You could be duped into giving away sensitive data, including personal identity or credit card information. Minnesota E-ZPass will never text or email you for personal or sensitive information.”
According to MnDOT, E-ZPass does not accept credit card information over text, email, or voicemail. E-ZPass customers are encouraged to interact with their accounts only through the official secure customer portal at ezpassmn.net.
The scam messages are also being sent to drivers who are not E-ZPass customers. MnDOT believes the phone numbers and emails are being chosen randomly. The agency urges people to report fraud activity to the Federal Trade Commission or the FBI.
Similar scams have been reported in recent months across multiple other states that utilize the E-ZPass toll payment system, including Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and New York.
Minnesota converted to the E-ZPass toll payment system in 2021, after initially offering its own MnPASS system. Drivers can use an E-ZPass transponder to pay tolls to travel in marked express lanes during peak travel hours, while also using the same device on toll highways in several other states in the Midwest and East Coast.
Six rideshare drivers accuse the leader of the MULDA — the Minnesota Uber/Lyft Drivers Association — of fraud.
MINNEAPOLIS — Throughout the fight for higher wages waged by rideshare drivers that almost resulted in Uber and Lyft leaving the Twin Cities, Eid Ali, the president of the Minnesota Uber/Lyft Drivers Association or MULDA was always front and center.
Now, six drivers including four MULDA board members are suing the association.
Part of the lawsuit accuses Ali of consumer fraud, claiming he accepted money from them and other drivers for membership and that the MULDA website continues to solicit donations, while Ali changed the articles of incorporation to say MULDA has no members.
“When they requested documents to oversee what was going on, they were informed that they’ve been removed from the board,” said Tim Maher, attorney for the plaintiffs.
Maher asked a judge for an injunction, to stop MULDA from removing those board members, as the lawsuit plays out in court.
Ali and attorney Stephen Cooper who represents MULDA are firing back stating the money collected was not for memberships.
“They have absolutely no evidence of any misdeeds at all,” said attorney Stephen Cooper. “And that was not for membership. That was merely to become a contributor for legal help for the battle in the legislature.”
And they are asking for the judge to dismiss the case, saying videos like this show the plaintiffs undermining Ali and entire MULDA group by recruiting members to join the SEIU union instead.
“We’ve already defeated Uber and Lyft. Now it’s time to defeat the individuals who are trying to misuse our organization,” a plaintiff can be heard saying on a video court exhibit.
The judge will make a ruling soon.
The man was suspected of murdering an artist in St. Paul hours earlier.
ST PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has identified the two officers who fatally shot a man in Belle Plaine on Friday.
The Saint Paul Police Department had sought the man, identified as 29-year-old Seantrell Murdock, in connection with the murder of 66-year-old Carrie Shobe Kwok on Wednesday night.
According to the BCA, the officers located Murdock as he left the residence he had been staying at in Belle Plaine.
Investigators allegedly approached Murdock near the intersection of South Chestnut and East Prairie streets, according to the BCA.
“At one point during the confrontation that followed, the officers fired their weapons, striking Murdock,” said the BCA.
The officers were identified as Aaron Bohlen, who has worked in law enforcement for 10 years, and Lance Christianson, who has worked in the field for 20 years, according to the BCA.
Murdock was transported to HCMC, where he died of his injuries.
BCA personnel recovered a gun from the area where Murdock was shot, according to the release from the agency.
Portions of the incident were captured on body camera video, said the agency.
Both officers have been put on standard administrative leave.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
The truck attempted to evade the SUV and lost control, veering into westbound traffic, where it struck the SUV the Minnesotans were in.
UTAH, USA — Four Minnesotans and a man from Utah were killed in a multi-vehicle crash southeast of Salt Lake City on Thursday.
The fatal collision occurred after an SUV attempted to pull onto the designated acceleration lane, but overshot it, and drove into a different lane, which was already occupied by a semi-truck, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.
The truck attempted to evade the SUV and lost control, veering into westbound traffic, where it struck the SUV the four Minnesotans were in.
Another man who was riding his ATV on the westbound shoulder was also struck and killed by the semitruck.
The Minnesotans have been identified as 56-year-old Sang Her from Brooklyn Center, 38-year-old Lee Thao from Brooklyn Center, 26-year-old Bee Moua from St. Paul, and 25-year-old Mai Lor from St. Paul.
The man who was driving the ATV was identified as 35-year-old Gustavo Mendoza of Helper, Utah.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
