INDIANAPOLIS – Scammers posing as the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles are sending text messages to Hoosiers with fraudulent claims of unpaid traffic violations. These messages falsely claim that enforcement penalties, including license suspension and vehicle registration holds, will begin if payment is not received immediately.
The scam messages often use urgent language and cite specific sections of the Indiana Code to appear legitimate. They direct recipients to click a link to a website designed to mimic the official BMV portal. State officials clarify that the BMV does not send SMS text messages regarding outstanding penalties or collect the specific fees outlined in these fraudulent alerts.
Common signs of a scam
According to digital security experts, several red flags can help identify these fraudulent messages. Scammers typically create a sense of urgency by setting immediate deadlines and threatening severe consequences like legal action or credit score damage. The website links in these texts often look similar to official addresses but do not end in the legitimate .gov domain…