Did you get a strange text claiming to be from the Illinois DMV, demanding money? It’s a trick, the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office says, with Alexi Giannoulias issuing an “urgent warning” about a new wave of threatening scam texts going out.
The unsolicited texts, which falsely claim to be from the Illinois Secretary of State or DMV, prompted the office to issue several messages about it this week alone, saying “scammers have recently escalated their tactics” with texts that look even more official with fake fines and regulations, deadlines or penalty dates.
“Many of the texts cite an upcoming enforcement date and list severe consequences to pressure recipients into acting quickly,” a press release from the Giannoulias office said Tuesday. “These schemes are designed to create panic and trick individuals into surrendering money or personal information.”
Suburban police departments and city of Chicago officials have also warned of the scam.
In a message posted to Facebook March 20, the Oswego Police Department shared a photo of what one scam text may look like, saying “it includes a photo of what appears to be an official notice for a traffic violation hearing.”
“The document may look legit at first glance, even listing Illinois statutes, but there are some clear red flags,” the department said.
The Illinois Secretary of State’s office will never send a text message demanding payment or threatening to suspend a license, the release said. The only time the office will send a text, Giannoulias said, is to remind someone of a scheduled DMV appointment.
“If you receive a message like this, remember it’s a scam – plain and simple. Do not click the link and please report the message to scamalert@ilsos.gov,” the release said.
At 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, Giannoulias will hold a news conference about the scam, saying “don’t click it’s a trick.” Giannoulias is expected to break down how it works, and what to watch out for.
If you do receive a text, here’s what the Secretary of State’s office recommends:
-NEVER to click a link
-Do not reply
-Do not provide personal information
-Forward the message to the SOS’ scam alert email
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