The California Department of Motor Vehicles says Californians should not respond to text messages appearing to be from the DMV that ask them to pay outstanding tolls.
The scam involves messaging that appears to mimic a DMV notice claiming the recipient has to pay toll fees and threatens charges or penalties if they aren't immediately paid via a shared link, according to the DMV. That link leads to a fake payment site that's designed to steal financial information.
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WATCH HEREPeople who receive one of these texts should not reply and should not click on the link, the DMV said.
The DMV said it will never send a text message seeking payment or personal information.
"The best way to protect yourself is to always use the DMV website or call our contact center to interact with us," DMV Director Steve Gordon said in a statement. "Remember that legitimate government agencies will rarely contact you by text for sensitive matters."
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