Text messages from scammers purporting to be government officials are on the rise across the Mountain West. Agencies such as state transportation departments and the Federal Trade and Federal Communications Commissions have advice for how to spot these nefarious messages.
The messages appear to be from a recipient’s local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and often say that they have failed to pay a traffic ticket or a toll fee. It usually concludes with a warning saying that if the recipient does not pay, they could lose their license.
Meg Rangonese, the Public Information Officer with the Nevada Department of Transportation, said complaints from consumers have surged in recent months, noting that several state DMV’s have issued warnings.
Rangonese shared these tips for recognizing scam texts:
- DMVs and government transportation agencies do not typically communicate information about fees, licenses and other issues by text.
- Look for tell-tale signs like an inaccurate website address
- Be wary of messages that use threatening language or have a sense of urgency
Ragonese also says that scam messages inaccurately state that an individual’s license or other privileges could be suspended for nonpayment. She encourages recipients of these types of texts to be cautious and avoid reactions such as opening links attached to the message.
The Federal Trade Commission says 98% of people will click on a website link in a text message. The agency also says people reported $470 million in losses from these scams last year which is five times more than what was reported in 2020.
Both the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission have complaint forms and tips on how to spot scams.
Drivers can also copy the spam message and forward it to 7726 (SPAM).
