"Over the past two weeks, our customer service center has received a record number of calls from customers and mobile device users in area codes across Ohio and elsewhere about the texting scam," the spokesman said. The good news, he says, is that the calls have been tailing off in recent days, likely because of growing awareness, and he said personally he knows of few who have fallen for the scam.
However, the issue has become acute enough that the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission produced a public service video to raise awareness.
Louisiana and Vermont are among states where top government officials have recently issued warnings to residents.