TUCSON, AZ — A new wave of scam text messages is hitting Arizona phones, and the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) wants residents to know they are not coming after you for unpaid tickets.
The fraudulent messages, often labeled “Final Enforcement Notice,” falsely claim to be from ADOT and threaten recipients with suspended driving privileges, vehicle registration cancellations, credit damage and even prosecution, if tickets are not paid immediately.
But it’s all a scam.
The agency clarified that it does not collect unpaid traffic tickets, nor does it send payment demands via text. One clear sign the message is a fake? It refers to “DMV,” a term used in other states, whereas Arizona uses “MVD,” short for Motor Vehicle Division.
This scam is a type of cyberattack known as “smishing,” short for SMS phishing, where scammers use fear-based messaging to pressure people into quick action.
A similar smishing attempt in recent months involved scam texts requesting payment for alleged unpaid tolls.
If you receive such a text, ADOT advises that you:
- Do not click any links.
- Do not reply.
- Delete the message immediately.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), smishing scams often come from foreign numbers and are riddled with small red flags, including poor grammar, vague references or odd sender addresses.
The FTC has a full guide on recognizing and reporting scam messages at consumer.ftc.gov.
