By REBECCA RUTHERFORD
Los Alamos
For the Los Alamos Daily Post
Some New Mexicans are getting a text message that looks like it came from the Motor Vehicle Division. It claims you have an unresolved traffic ticket and warns that enforcement begins March 7 unless you pay immediately.
The message lists a series of consequences. According to the text, failure to act could lead to suspended driving privileges, suspended vehicle registration, collection agency fees, and even credit score damage.
That is a lot of legal drama coming from a random text message, and that should be your first red flag here.
The message also includes a link that appears to reference New Mexico but actually leads to a strange web address like “newmexico.org-ydazx.bond/dmv.” That odd domain is another red flag. Official government websites do not use random strings of letters and unusual domains to collect payments.
The phone number is another clue. One example circulating locally came from a number starting with +63, which is the country code for the Philippines. The New Mexico MVD is not sending enforcement notices from overseas.
Traffic ticket scam
Another variation I’ve seen just has a pdf image attachment, this one comes from a Los Angeles area code, and is claiming the receiver has a “toll violation”. I’ve seen variations of this from as far away as Pennsylvania, it’s a nationwide epidemic!
Whatever variation you get, know that it’s a scam. The most important thing to remember with this one- New Mexico does not have any toll roads! This one has a QR code to scan to pay your violation, another good reason not to scan sketchy QR codes.
How the Scam Works
Scammers send these texts to thousands of people at once. They do not know whether you actually have a traffic ticket. They are simply hoping a few recipients panic and click the link, netting them some easy money, or your personal data.
Once someone clicks, the fake site may ask for personal information such as a driver’s license number, date of birth, or credit card details to “pay the fine.” In other cases the page may attempt to install malware or collect login information.
The urgency is intentional. Deadlines, threats of license suspension, and warnings about legal action are designed to make people act before they stop to think.
Toll violation scam text variation
What To Do
Government agencies generally do not send surprise payment demands by text message. Real citations and official notices typically arrive by mail or through verified government websites.
If you receive one of these messages, do not click the link and do not reply. Report it as spam and delete it.
If you are worried about an actual ticket, go directly to the official New Mexico MVD website by typing the address into your browser. Never follow a link sent through an unsolicited text.
In Los Alamos we spend a lot of time solving complicated problems; fortunately, this one is easy. If a random number suddenly wants you to urgently pay a New Mexico traffic ticket or toll violation, it is a scam.
Editor’s note: Rebecca Rutherford works in information technology at Los Alamos National Laboratory.