— Information from the office of N.C. Attorney General Jeff Jackson
Attorney General Jeff Jackson is warning North Carolinians about a new wave of scam text messages falsely claiming to come from the North Carolina DMV and threatening license suspension, fines and other penalties.
The message claims the recipient has an unpaid traffic ticket and directs them to a website that looks official but is not connected to the State of North Carolina.
“This message is a scam,” Jackson stated. “The DMV does not collect traffic tickets by text, does not threaten people this way, and does not send links asking for payment.”
“We are aware of multiple fraudulent text scams that have gone out requesting payment for fees, fines, or tolls,” said NCDMV Commissioner Paul Tine. “We will NEVER request payment by text. If you get one of these texts, don’t respond. Instead, report it as spam and delete it.”
Signs This Is a Scam
Consumers should watch for these red flags:
- Fake web address: The link includes the word “.gov,” but it is not a real government site. The true domain ends in .cc, not .gov. The true domain, .cc, is the country-code for the Cocos Islands near Australia.
- Fake penalties: The text threatens things that do not exist under North Carolina law, including a “35% service fee at toll booths” and credit score damage from the DMV.
What To Do
If you receive this message, do not click the link.
- Report It: The Attorney General’s Office tracks these scams to work with telecom providers to shut them down. Report the message to our Consumer Protection Division at https://ncdoj.gov/report-robocalls/.
- Verify Status: If you’re unsure whether an email, text, or letter from the NCDMV is legitimate, you should contact the agency directly at (919) 715-7000.
- Block and Delete: Once reported, block the number delete the message.
The Consumer Protection Division protects North Carolina consumers from scams and fraud. If you spot a scam, let us know by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or filing a complaint online at ncdoj.gov/complaint.
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