First it was unpaid toll notices, now we’re dealing with unpaid traffic tickets

QUINCY — Have you gotten a text message about a traffic ticket recently? Don’t click the link – it could be a scam.

BBB has received several reports about phishing texts that appear to be from your state’s Department of Revenue, Department of Motor Vehicles or Department of Transportation.

The fake texts will say you have an outstanding traffic violation and will make the issue seem urgent by using phrases like “final notice” or listing a date that “enforcement” will start. They’ll threaten serious penalties like suspension of your registration and extra fees if the ticket is not paid quickly via a link in the message.

If you receive a message like this, don’t click on the link or pay. MoDot, the Missouri Department of Revenue, and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) have all warned that they will never solicit consumers to pay a toll fee or traffic violation fee via text message.

In April, BBB warned about a similar scam in which people received phishing texts that appeared to be unpaid toll notices from road toll agencies.

For both the traffic ticket scams and the road toll scams, it’s good to keep in mind that government agencies won’t text you to ask you to pay a fee. Never click the link in the text. Even if the message says it’s urgent, you always have time to double check by looking up the contact information for the actual agency.

How do I know if a text about a traffic ticket is a scam?

Check with the actual agency. Remember that government agencies won’t contact you by text message to pay for a traffic violation. Don’t click the link or call the number in the text. Instead, go to your web browser, find the official website for the agency the message appears to be from, and contact them directly.

Keep track of your tickets. It’s an immediate red flag if you know you have no tickets but receive a text message anyway. In Missouri and Illinois, you can do an online search to check if you have any current tickets.

Know the warning signs of a fake text. Unsolicited texts with suspicious links or grammar and spelling errors could be cause for concern. A personalized message or legit-looking link doesn’t mean the text is safe – scammers are good at finding personal info and spoofing websites.

How can I avoid phishing texts?

Don’t give out personal information. Requests to provide information like your birthday or Social Security number should be red flags.

Don’t click on links or download files that are unexpectedly texted to you. It may be hard to tell if a link sent in a text message is safe. Scammers often use fake URLs that look like legitimate websites’ URLs.

Block the number and delete the message. Refusing to engage and blocking the phone number can help prevent scammers from contacting you again.

Report the text. You can help protect others by reporting scam texts to BBB Scam Tracker and the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

Don O’Brien is the regional director for the Quincy Better Business Bureau. Contact him at dobrien@quincybbb.org or 217-209-3972.