Hiram Police Department issued a warning on Facebook about a scam after residents reported receiving suspicious text messages.
According to the post, the texts falsely claim to be from “Ohio District Court” and allege an unpaid traffic violation. The message states the recipient has an outstanding traffic fine and threatens consequences that include arrest and suspension of driver’s licenses and vehicle registration. The texts also threaten referral of the case to a collection agency.
The message then urges recipients to click a suspicious link. Police say it is a scam and advises recipients not to respond.
Indications it is a scam include:
What you should do if you receive this message:
The Hiram post reminds anyone receiving a notice regarding a citation, court case or government-related issue to always verify the information by contacting the court or agency directly using an official phone number or website.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Phony traffic citation scam reported in Portage County
Reporting by Jeff Saunders, Ravenna Record-Courier / Record-Courier
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
