TOMS RIVER – Bus passengers who use the county’s public transit system are at risk of being taken for a different kind of ride, after county officials warned Friday that scammers are targeting its riders.
Ocean County Commissioner Gary Quinn said telephone calls were being made to Ocean Ride passengers, from scammers claiming to be county employees, who are requesting the passenger’s credit card and Social Security numbers, as well as other personal banking information. The purported nature of the call is said to be in reference to an “overdue account.”
In actuality, no one from any county agency or vendor is placing such a call.
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“It is important for everyone to remember to never give out personal information at the request of the caller,” Quinn said, who is liaison to the county Transportation Department.
County government officials emphasized that Ocean Ride personnel would never initiate a call regarding the payment of an overdue account.
“Unfortunately, scammers have developed sophisticated systems that look as if a call is coming from Ocean County when it is not,” said Commission Director Joseph H. Vicari. “If the call does not sound legitimate, trust your instincts and reach out to Ocean Ride directly to verify.”
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Anyone with questions about their billing should contact Ocean Ride at 732-736-8989, ext. 1. For more information about the county’s transit system, visit www.co.ocean.nj.us/oc/transportation.
Contact Asbury Park Press reporter Erik Larsen at elarsen@gannettnj.com.
