Virginia DMV Warns Drivers Of Text Scam

RICHMOND, VA — If you received a text message recently claiming you have unpaid traffic fines or tickets, ignore it, Virginia State Police warned Monday.

The text messages are a scam, state police and other agencies said.

The alerts claim to be from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, but the DMV does not send out text messages regarding violations or fines, the state police said.

If you receive one of these texts, do not click the links and delete the message immediately, authorities said.

In the text message, the scammers urge you to pay a fine by June 2 to avoid having your registration suspended and driving privileges revoked for 30 day. The scam also threatens prosecution and said drivers could have their credit score affected.

“The DMV will never send you text messages demanding payment for fines or fees,” said DMV Commissioner Gerald Lackey. “We urge our customers to be vigilant and avoid sending your personal information via text.”

Clicking on a link in the message to pay the phony ticket could result in your personal information being stolen, making you a victim of the scam, authorities warn. A similar text scam was reported Monday in New Jersey.

Here are some tips from the Federal Trade Commission on how to avoid falling for a text scam like the one targeting Virginians:

• Don’t click on any links in, or respond to, unexpected texts. Scammers want you to react quickly, but it’s best to stop and check it out.
• Check to see if the text is legit. Reach out to the agency using a phone number or website you know is real — not the info from the text.
• Report and delete unwanted text messages. Use your phone’s “report junk” option to report unwanted texts to your messaging app or forward them to 7726 (SPAM). Once you’ve checked it out and reported it, delete the text.

You can also report a phishing text or other suspicious communication to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

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