A new phishing scam is targeting Wisconsin residents with texts claiming to be from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the agency announced April 20.
The texts, which are often sent from non-Wisconsin or non-U.S. numbers, include warnings of a “Driver’s License Suspension Pending” or vague “violation details” that require urgent payment, WisDOT said in a news release.
To make a payment, consumers are prompted to click on a link, which leads to an unofficial, fraudulent website that aims to get your personal information. The websites and texts can sometimes look like official WisDOT content, the agency said.
Consumers should be suspicious of any demands for immediate action, personal information or money, the agency added. If you have not signed up to receive texts or emails from WisDOT or the Department of Motor Vehicles, the messages are most likely a scam, and you should not share any personal information or click on any links sent from unknown numbers.
As a security measure, you can sign up for account activity alerts through the Wisconsin DMV’s eNotify, which will confirm new transactions on your account and alert you of any fraudulent activity. Sign up for eNotify here: wisconsindmv.gov/enotify.
What to do if you are the victim of a scam
If you fall victim to the scam, WisDOT recommends taking the following steps:
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Fake DMV texts are the latest scam targeting Wisconsin consumers
Reporting by Maia Pandey, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
