DMV Scam

Cybercriminals have created a smishing scam that sends people a text message from what looks to be the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) but it’s not really them. 

What you need to know:

• This text message informs you that you have a traffic fine and need to pay by a certain date. It includes a link that will take you to a fake website to pay the fine, but the money will go straight to the cybercriminals.
• Like many other scams, cybercriminals use scare tactics to make you perform an action quickly.
• In this scam there are different variations of consequences if you don’t pay the fine on time. Some of these could be that you would get your license taken away, lose driving privileges, go to jail, or your credit score would lower.

TIPS:

• Always be cautious of unexpected text messages. Never click on a links!
• Verify with the DMV to see if this is true by contacting them directly.
• Remember that cybercriminals love to impersonate companies and this type of scam is not limited to the DMV.

‍