Californians are being warned about deceptive text messages that appear to originate from the DMV, falsely claiming that recipients owe toll fees. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) emphasizes that it will never contact individuals via text to request payment or personal information.
The scam texts mimic official DMV notices and threaten penalties for unpaid tolls, often including a link to fraudulent payment websites that aim to steal financial information. DMV Director Steve Gordon advises customers to interact with the DMV only through its official website or contact center for security.
To protect against such scams, individuals should:
- Avoid responding to unsolicited or suspicious texts.
- Verify the source of any communication by contacting the DMV directly.
- Reach out to the DMV’s customer service at 800-777-0133 if there are any concerns.
Additionally, the DMV encourages customers to utilize online services for tasks such as driver’s license and vehicle registration renewals, which are increasingly handled online rather than in person. To opt for paperless notifications for vehicle registration and driver’s license renewals, customers can create a secure online account at dmv.ca.gov.
