Texas Scam Targets Drivers With Fake DMV Texts and Calls

There has been a wave of new scams that target Texas drivers in recent weeks. These scammers contact citizens with phony car payments or outstanding traffic tickets, and the actual Texas DMV has issued an urgent warning.

Texas DMV Scams

Earlier this year, there was a noticeable rise in scam texts and calls from people claiming to be from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.

These fake messages usually inform the recipient that they have an unpaid toll charge or an overdue traffic ticket that must be paid immediately or else bad things will happen.

Within every message is a link that you are ordered to click in order to make your payment. The scammers even go so far as to threaten you with suspending your account or even charging you enormous additional fees.

Texas DMV Warns of Scammers

The legitimate Texas DMV issued a warning in July of this year asking drivers to exercise caution when receiving these messages by following these rules:

• Never click on any suspicious links
• Never share or reply with personal information
• Report fraudulent messages and phishing attempts to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center

When in doubt, always remember to reach out to Texas DMV if you ever are unsure about a suspicious text, call, or email about your account.

Also, the Texas DMV is not a law enforcement agency, so if you receive a threatening message saying that you are at risk for heavy fines resulting from traffic violations or tolls, then know that it is a scammer attempting to access private information from you.