Has an SMS message for payment for an unpaid traffic ticket reached you? Drivers are being cautioned by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles about a new “phishing scam.”
An example of the SMS that people are receiving was released by the DMV. According to the “final notice” letter, failure to pay could result in fines under “New York State Administrative code 15c-16.003”.
According to the language, the DMV will revoke their driver’s license for 30 days, suspend their vehicle registration, and charge them a 35% toll booth service fee. Additionally, it alerts the driver to the possibility of prosecution and the effect it may have on their credit score.
“These scammers flood phones with these texts, hoping to trick unsuspecting New Yorkers into handing over their personal information,” DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder stated. “DMV will not send you texts asking for your personal information.”
Many individuals fall for it, according to lawyer Seth Katz, who focuses on motor vehicle-related criminal defense.
“So let’s say they are sending out a thousand [texts], there’s a very strong likelihood that some people within that blast, if you will, actually have issues with the DMV or perhaps E-ZPass, and they get nervous and pay,” he stated.
The E-ZPass NY system issued a warning earlier this year that a congestion pricing method was deceiving drivers into texting to pay for tolls.
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According to Katz, official notices will be sent by ordinary mail; the DMV will not send a text or email requesting payment.
MVC text for New Jersey
This year, similar notifications have been sent to drivers nationwide. Both New Jersey authorities and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation sent warnings to locals this week.
There have been multiple complaints of people receiving the phishing SMS in the last week, according to the New Jersey Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Cell.
“This SMiShing scheme is similar to others that have circulated impersonating NJ toll services and EZ-Pass claiming the user has an outstanding toll that needs to be paid to avoid a late fee,” according to the agency.
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How to stay away from scam texts?
Drivers are being warned that the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission and the New York DMV will not attempt to collect payments through text messages. They advise locals not to click on unknown links or give private information to unreliable websites.
According to the organizations, messages with bad spelling or grammar, threatening language, or an unfamiliar URL are warning signs of a possible fraud.
“If in doubt, do not click,” advises the DMV.
“I tell people to ignore it and to delete it from their phone because you don’t wanna open up a link or something else to then find out that there’s a virus,” Katz stated.
What would you do, then, if you believed it to be genuine and paid?
“I think it’s incumbent of you to contact your credit card provider, credit or debit card provider, and then report it to the authorities,” Katz stated.
Only after you make a complaint can an inquiry begin. The local police precinct is where you may do that.
