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**Headline: DMV Scam Texts Surge Across U.S., States Issue Warnings**

**New York, NY (April 28, 2025)** – A wave of fraudulent text messages impersonating state Departments of Motor Vehicles (DMVs) is sweeping across the United States, prompting authorities to issue urgent warnings to drivers. The scams, which intensified throughout May, attempt to trick recipients into paying fake “outstanding tolls” or traffic tickets by threatening penalties such as suspended vehicle registration, increased fees, or even prosecution.

At least a dozen states, including Illinois, New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, Colorado, Vermont, Texas, and California, have reported the scam and issued advisories.

“These scammers flood phones with these texts, hoping to trick unsuspecting New Yorkers into handing over their personal information,” warned New York DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder. “DMV will not send you texts asking for your personal information.”

The texts typically include a link to a website, often designed to mimic official “.gov” addresses, urging immediate payment to avoid consequences. In New Jersey, many of the messages have included links with variations of “ezpassnj.”

“Phishing scams are unfortunately an increasingly prevalent threat in our modern society, seeking to cheat Illinoisans out of their personal information and hard-earned money,” said Illinois Secretary of State Alexander Giannoulias, reminding that the Illinois DMV will only send out text messages for appointment reminders.

Authorities are emphasizing that DMVs do *not* send unsolicited requests for payments or personal information via text message. The Florida DMV has even created a dedicated webpage to alert drivers to the scam.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advises recipients to forward suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM) and report them directly to the FTC. Experts urge the public to be cautious of all unsolicited communications, even those appearing to come from trusted sources. They also strongly advise against sending personal information via text or email.

David Brumley, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, suggests calling the department or business directly to verify the legitimacy of any questionable message before taking action. Murat Kantarcioglu of Virginia Tech emphasizes the importance of educating older relatives, who may be more vulnerable to these scams.

Ultimately, experts say vigilance and healthy skepticism are the best defenses against these increasingly sophisticated and pervasive scams.

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