Americans are being alerted to a new wave of phishing scams targeting mobile phones, particularly in New York, Florida, and California. These scams involve fraudulent text messages from scammers posing as officials from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The deceptive messages claim that recipients have unpaid traffic violations and warn of serious repercussions, including hefty fines and possible suspension of driving privileges.
This alarming trend is part of an increasing number of “smishing” incidents, or SMS-based phishing scams, which exploit fear to extract personal and financial information from unsuspecting individuals. Previous scams have also involved warnings about unpaid toll fees and have prompted alerts from both the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission, emphasizing the importance of vigilance when faced with such messages.
Statistics reveal the extent of the problem, with 19.2 billion automated spam texts sent to Americans in April alone, translating to about 63 spam texts per person. The financial impact is significant; according to the FTC’s Data Book for 2024, fraud losses in the U.S. exceeded $12 billion, marking a $2 billion increase from the prior year.
To safeguard against these threats, experts suggest several precautions: register your number with the National Do Not Call Registry, refrain from clicking on links from unknown sources, and maintain a healthy skepticism when asked to provide personal information.
This ongoing issue highlights the need for awareness and proactive measures to protect oneself from digital scams. The rise in protective measures and public awareness campaigns can hopefully reduce the prevalence of such scams in the future, empowering individuals to recognize and avoid these fraudulent attempts.