MILWAUKEE — There's another phishing scam going around that consumers should be aware of, according to the Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
In this latest scam, scammers who are pretending to be from the DMV are sending texts that attempt to get people to click on fraudulent links, or reveal their personal information.
Consumers should be on the lookout for texts that warn of a "final notice" or a vague "unpaid traffic violation." Some scams try to duplicate the look of official Department of Transportation content, the DMV says.
A wave of complaints regarding the new scam attempts started on Monday, June 2. A previous wave passed through the state late March into early April.
“We’re hearing from our DMV counterparts that Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia and New York were hit with this scam last week. Given the number of calls we’re getting from DMV customers, it’s likely Wisconsin is the next target,” DMV Bureau of Driver Services Director Tina Braddy said. “We want to protect our residents, so we are quickly issuing this alert to ensure fewer fall victim to these scams.”
Make sure to follow these tips, provided by the DMV:
· Be suspicious of demands for money and urgency.
· Do not share personal information with unsolicited emails or messages.
· If you have not signed up to receive email or text messages from DMV and receive an unsolicited text message or email from an unknown number or person, do not respond, engage with the caller or click on links.
· Sign up for account activity alerts and renewal reminders by subscribing to Wisconsin DMV's eNotify. Like most bank accounts, you will receive confirmation of transactions on your account which alerts you to any fraudulent activities. Sign up for eNotify here: wisconsindmv.gov/enotify
If you are the victim of a scam, you may:
· Consider filing a police report with the local law enforcement agency where you reside.
· Report it to the Federal Trade Commission and/or the IC3 www.ic3.gov
· Speak to AARP’s Fraud Watch Helpline and find Fraud Victim Support Groups (all ages accepted)
· Request a free credit report and research identity theft prevention: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action
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