MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It’s the latest text scam making the rounds! Many of you may have received texts where the sender, who claims to be from the DMV, shares an urgent message about a supposed unpaid ticket and even threatens prosecution.
As WREG has reported, it’s all a scam, and we’ve now learned the FBI is investigating.
Scammers are using fake DMV warnings to steal your money
One of the WREG Investigators received the text message. It starts with “Tennessee Department of Vehicles Final Notice.” The text then goes on to mention an outstanding traffic ticket that must be paid by June 8. The scammers then threaten to report the violation, suspend driving privileges, and even prosecute.
WREG heard from several real law enforcement agencies recently, like the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, as well as police departments in Collierville, Dyersburg, and Arkansas, saying scammers were using their names to try to scare consumers and steal their money.
The News Channel 3 Investigators spoke with FBI Supervisory Special Agent David Palmer about the scam.
Palmer supervises a unit that handles white-collar crimes in West Tennessee. He says the DMV text scam is actually a copycat of the toll scam we’ve already warned about…