“The scammers are at it again — and we’re onto them,” Colorado DMV officials stated in a news release. “The DMV is aware of these latest attempts and is working closely with the Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) to put the brakes on this scam for good.”
The scammers are falsely claiming text recipients have unpaid tickets and are threatening severe consequences, including prosecution, vehicle registration suspension and the revocation of driving privileges, state officials said in the release.
These messages are not from the DMV, officials said. The DMV does not initiate contact via unsolicited text messages to demand payment for tickets or to threaten consequences in this manner, the release stated.
DMV officials are monitoring the scams and are collaborating with state agencies and local law enforcement, DMV Senior Director Electra Bustle said.
“In the meantime, public awareness is our strongest defense,” Bustle stated.
The exact wording of the messages varies, according to state officials, but the texts typically:
- Claim to be from the “Colorado DMV” or a similar official-sounding entity,
- Allege outstanding unpaid tickets or driving violations,
- Threaten imminent legal action, such as criminal prosecution,
- Warn of the pending suspension of vehicle registration and/or driving privileges,
- And contain a malicious link to a fake website to “resolve” the issue or make a payment.
If Coloradans receive a suspicious text message claiming to be from the DMV, agency officials said they should:
- Not reply. Responding only confirms to the scammer that your number is active.
- Not click on any links. These lead to “phishing” sites designed to steal Coloradans’ identities or financial data.
- Not share any personal or financial information. This includes driver’s license numbers, Social Security numbers, credit card details or banking information.
Residents should contact the DMV directly with any questions about their driver’s license status, vehicle registration or potential tickets.
“If you have not engaged in any activity that would result in a ticket or penalty, it is almost certainly a scam,” DMV officials said.
Anyone who receives one of these fraudulent texts is 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. Recipients should include the phone number or email that sent the message and the website linked in the text.
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