The text tells the recipient to pay now to avoid having their license suspended.
“If you receive this text, do not fall for this scam,” said Ohio BMV Registrar Charlie Norman. “Do not click any links and delete the text. Ohio BMV will never send you a text demanding payment or requesting your personal information.”
A similar scam has been reported nationwide as a phishing attempt trying to trick people into giving up their personal information.
Earlier this year another traffic-related scam was circulating in Ohio. Residents received texts claiming they had unpaid Ohio Turnpike tolls.
Texts were randomly sent to cellphones with various area codes trying to impersonate the web addresses of toll agencies across the U.S.
“The Ohio Turnpike does not send text messages requesting payment for unpaid tolls. The Ohio Turnpike will only notify you of an unpaid toll through the U.S. Mail,” the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission said. “If you’ve received a suspicious or fraudulent text, do not click the link or provide any personal information.”
Ohioans can report scams to the Federal Trade Commission online at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Anyone who believes they are the victim of a scam should call their local law enforcement department.
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