KANSAS CITY, Kan. — How many times have you driven the Kansas Turnpike and thought you forgot to pay the toll? Cybercriminals know it’s a common mistake and are using that to their advantage.

If you’ve gotten an E-ZPass collection text in the last few weeks, you’re not alone.

Winnie West, the Kansas cyber security advisor for the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said their office has received dozens of reports of scammers posing as toll collectors from Kansas and other surrounding states.

“We just can’t keep up with it because ransom as a service is a huge thing,” West said.

The texts claim the user has unpaid toll debts and threatens serious consequences if the user doesn’t take action by a certain date. The texts also include a link to pay the ‘outstanding balance’, prompting victims to put in credit card information.

“For somebody that doesn’t really know how to look for those specific things, they would have automatically clicked because of the urgency with how the message came across,” West said.

West said even she and her family got the smishing text.

Jack McCormick

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“They asked me, ‘Hey mom, what do we need to do with this?”‘ West said.

She told them to not click on the message.

You should be on the lookout for red flags, like a number with a strange area code, the sender is from an unknown email address or anyone claiming to be a government agency demanding money.

“Don’t click on the link,” West said. “Don’t click on anything until you verify that that is truly a valid request.”

Smishing scams are becoming more common nationwide, mainly because everything in the 21st century relies on data.

West explained scammers can get real phone numbers through the dark web, data leaks and even social media.

“Through those means is really how they were able to collect and then target those numbers,” West said. “Sometimes, they’re just spamming those numbers.”

Scams can be annoying at best, but malicious at worst. If you already clicked the link, West explained you should contact your bank, reset your passwords and then report it to the CISA.

“There will always be a person that will fall victim to those type of activities, unfortunately,” West said. “If you’re not aware of what to do and how to protect yourself from those type of cyber criminals, it can be pretty devastating.”

If you think you have been targeted with a smishing or phishing scam, you can find resources with CISA.

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KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne covers issues surrounding government accountability and solutions. Share your story with Isabella.

The Kansas City Chiefs have one of the best home field advantages in all of football, if not the best. They do not mess around about their team in Kansas City. There are only a few stadiums in the NFL were the fans have an impact on a game and the Chiefs is one of them.

Everyone around the National Football League always talks about how it is difficult to play in Arrowhead Stadium, and it is a stadium they do not enjoy playing in. But for the Chiefs, it gives them the best feeling when playing a home game, knowing Chiefs Kingdom comes out and makes a difference.

Now, with more new stadiums being built, is the NFL still trying to keep them outdoors, or are they trying to move most of them indoors? We have seen over the years how weather plays a factor late in an NFL season and the playoffs. Is that something that fans and the league do not want to see anymore? For the Chiefs will they go for an inside stadium as well?

As the National Football League got together this week in Florida for the NFL annual meeting, the Chiefs front office talked about when they plan on releasing more information on their new stadium.

“We’re having good conversations, and both options are still very much in play,” said Chiefs owner Clark Hunt. “I am hopeful that we’ll have some news to announce there by summer at the latest.”

“If you’re on either side of the table, you look at deadlines,” said Chiefs team president Mark Donovan. “That June 30th (deadline) is real.”

Many of Chiefs Kingdom would like a new stadium, but if they lose the element of Arrowhead, it will not sit well with them.

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce also gave his opinion on how new stadiums should be built.

“Just make it a retractable roof and keep the elements. And then, when you want to do a stadium for a live show in December, close the roof,” said Kelce on New Heights. “All indoor stadiums, regardless, should have the situation that Vegas and Arizona have, of the field going in and out. It has to be grass. This turf stuff has to kick rocks, man.”

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TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Forbes Field could be the home base for one of the US Air Force’s newest operations.

The 190th welcomed a site survey team consisting of members from the National Guard Bureau and active-duty Air Force to Forbes Field Tuesday. The Air Force is reviewing seven military bases across the nation to find a proper base for the KC-46 Pegasus.

KC-46s will replace KC-135 Stratotankers at the final decision location and bring enhanced capabilities, such as boom and drogue refueling on the same sortie, worldwide navigation and communication, cargo capacity on the entire main deck floor, receiver air refueling, improved force protection, and multi-point air refueling capability. DAF announces seven candidate locations for KC-46A Pegasus MOB 7

“The KC-46 brings more capability than just fuel to aerial warfare. This is critical for our Airmen and aircrew who would be fighting in potential future conflicts,” Col. Kent Crane, Commander, 190th ARW, said. “The site survey provides an opportunity to showcase how the 190th ARW is uniquely positioned to enhance Air Force capabilities in strategic refueling missions.”

The 190th Air Refueling Wing says it based its tour around several factors making it the ideal base: Forbes Field’s central location and potential for growth, and the 190th ARW’s existing infrastructure, partnerships, And proven capabilities.

“It’s always exciting getting to showcase the 190th, especially the members of the 190th because they’re so adaptable, they’re innovative, and they excel at everything they do,” Col. Marjorie Durkes, Deputy Commander, 190th ARW, said. “It’s so exciting to showcase not only the 190th but the Topeka community and how we’ve all come together around this.”

A final decision is expected this fall.

Candidate Bases:

1. Bangor Air National Guard Base, Maine
2. Forbes Field Air National Guard Base (Topeka), Kan.
3. Key Field Air National Guard Base (Meridian), Miss.
4. McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base (Knoxville), Tenn.
5. Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio
6. Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
7. Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base (Birmingham), Ala.

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