Officials in multiple states are warning drivers about scam text messages that appear to come from state Departments of Motor Vehicles, or DMVs.
Officials in more than a dozen states have issued warnings about a new text messaging scam that attempts to threaten the receiver into paying off a nonexistent traffic ticket to avoid penalties. States that have issued advisories for the scam include Nevada, Colorado, Indiana, Minnesota, California, Michigan, South Carolina, North Carolina, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, New York, Kentucky, Vermont, New Hampshire, Wyoming, and Maine.
The news of a new type of text scam comes after large numbers of drivers were targeted by an unpaid toll text scam earlier this year.
The new scam messages will appear to come from a state DMV, and they will typically state that the receiver has an outstanding traffic ticket. The messages will often give a date when the ticket must be paid off to avoid a loss of driving privileges, the cancelling of vehicle registration, or even criminal prosecution. The text messages will contain a link to a scam website where drivers are directed to make payments.
If you receive one of these messages, it is important to take the following steps:
- Do not click on any links within the message.
- Do not share any personal information, including passwords, birth dates, social security numbers, or credit card and banking information.
- Do not reply to the text message.
If you receive a suspicious text message, you are encouraged to report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Be sure to include the phone number or email that sent the message and the website linked in the text.
