SACRAMENTO – There is a text message people are receiving that looks legitimate, complete with a link to a website that appears to mimic the California Department of Motor Vehicles website, but it is a new scam seeking to take money from unsuspecting consumers.
The scam involves a text message claiming that drivers owe unpaid toll fees and must click a link to settle the balance. However, as the DMV notes in a statement about the scam, the department will never text drivers about fees owed. Instead, consumers who pay the requested amounts are being scammed.
“The best way to protect yourself is to always use the DMV website or call our contact center to interact with us,” said DMV Director Steve Gordon in the statement. “Remember that legitimate government agencies will rarely contact you by text for sensitive matters.”
The scam warns consumers that if they do not follow the link and pay the fee, they could face penalties and additional fines. The included link leads to a payment page that is designed to steal financial information such as credit card numbers and account numbers. The scammers can then use this information to steal directly from accounts, often without the consumer knowing until it is too late.
The DMV cautions consumers to never open emails from unknown senders or to reply to unsolicited text messages. These are tools used by scammers designed to steal personal information. Research indicates the threat is growing nationwide and often targets older Americans.
A study funded by the American Association of Retired Persons and conducted by Javelin Strategy & Research found that scammers duped Americans out of an estimated $47 billion in 2024. This includes traditional identity theft, estimated at $27 billion and impacting 18 million people, and an additional $20 billion in account takeover scams, such as the current DMV scam.
The report found that 54% of people deceived by scams in 2024 were first contacted through text messages, up from 49% in 2023. A report by the Federal Trade Commission found that adults in their 70’s were scammed for an average of $1,000, while an adult in their 20’s was scammed for a median of $417. Javelin’s Senior Fraud Analyst and the author of the AARP report Jennifer Pitt said this is often because older people are thought to have more money and are less tech-savvy, making them easier marks.
Consumers are cautioned by AARP and Javelin to never disclose personal information via text message, use strong passwords on accounts, different passwords for each account and to always question a suspicious message, such as going to a company website or calling customer service if a suspicious message is received. Consumers should also be careful when using public Wi-Fi as these systems are frequently poorly protected. Additionally, using a PIN or biometrics to access phones, tablets and laptops can help prevent scammers from remotely accessing devices.
The National Center for Victims of Crime provides resources to aid individuals who are the victims of scams. Consumers are also encouraged to contact financial institutions and the local police if they are the victim of a scam. A federal online registry of scams is available at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
