First, it was phony parking tickets, then toll road scams, now scammers are at it again with an all-new, all-bad DMV text scam. The unfortunate popularity of this latest grift has caused states from New York, Florida, and Georgia, to Illinois, New Jersey, and beyond to issue official warnings.
So let’s heed those warnings and learn to swerve from the newest DMV scam crooks have cooked up. Because getting ripped off by the faux DMV might be the only thing worse than standing in line at the real DMV.
How the Latest DMV Text Scam Works
This DMV scam all starts with a text from scam artists posing as the legit DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles, for those who haven’t had the pleasure). While the wording and minor details of the message may vary – because scammers are, unfortunately, creative sometimes – the content is typically consistent.
In most cases, the DMV text scam uses very official-sounding language to warn potential victims that they’re at risk of a serious penalty if they don’t pay a ticket fee or a related traffic fine to their respective state’s DMV, pronto. That penalty may be the revocation of their driver’s license, suspended vehicle registration, toll fees, additional charges, a hit to the victim’s credit score, or even legal prosecution.
Regardless, the intention is the same, and it’s a tactic consistently used by scammers since the dawn of their existence: motivate potential victims into action (i.e., giving scammers what they want) by making threats and leveraging an urgent sense of pressure.
Of course, the text includes a link that claims to lead to a payment portal for the victim’s state DMV. What this link really leads to, though, is a sketchy website created by the scam’s perpetrators. Disguised as a real DMV site, it may ask you to pay directly online or direct you to fill out a form asking you for all sorts of private information. In the first instance, you’ll be paying the scammers and handing over the info associated with your payment method. In the second, you’ll be giving them the information they need to potentially commit identity theft and steal your money.
Alternatively, following the link may just infect your device with malware, which can also mine valuable information from your device to commit financial fraud.
DMV Scam Red Flags
Oftentimes, DMV scam texts include all sorts of little touches to make them look official. In addition to a list of phony consequences, the text usually includes a due date and an enforcement date, and made-up administrative codes. Despite this sort of sneakiness, there are plenty of red flags that give this text away as a DMV scam.
Here’s the big one: state DMVs, according to the Federal Trade Commission, do not request information or money via text. So if you get a text asking for either of those from the DMV, that’s a DMV scam text for sure.
Additionally, while the link in the scam text might look legit, it often doesn’t allow the recipient to click the link directly from the text message, instead prompting them to respond with “Y” and then copy the link into their browser (because the link that you’ll actually copy is slightly different from the official-looking link in the text).
What To Do If You Get a DMV Scam Text
First off, do not follow the link in any text you might even remotely suspect is a DMV scam text. You’ve probably figured that part out already, but here are some other steps you can take:
- Block the number immediately. If your device has a “report spam” or “mark as spam” option, go ahead and do that, too.
- If you’re at all worried that the actual state DMV might be trying to contact you, look up their real phone number and give them a call to make sure you don’t owe anything, and that they’re not actually trying to contact you.
- Similarly, if you want to be extra sure you’re not dealing with the authentic DMV, stick that DMV scam text phone number into a Spokeo Reverse Phone Lookup. We’ll cross-reference with billions of public records – if it matches with a single person, it’s probably not legit. (Because our database contains the information of people, not businesses or government offices, the real DMV’s number won’t return a result when you search.)
- To be a good Samaritan, you can copy and forward the text to the number 7726 (SPAM) or report the details at reportfraud.ftc.gov to help prevent others from getting scammed in the future.
FAQs About DMV Scam Texts
This latest shakedown is a variation of phishing – the age-old scam of “fishing” for your private information or money by posing as a legitimate company, person, or organization – known as “smishing,” which is just phishing via text. And while phishing is well known at this point, the internet still has plenty of questions about 2025’s new DMV scam text racket.
Does the DMV ever send text messages?
No, the DMV does not send text messages. While you might get automated reminders for appointments and the like if you willingly sign up for them, no DMV in the country sends demands for payment, violation warnings, or enforcement notices via text message.
Where is the DMV text scam?
Pretty much nationwide. So far, as of late August 2025, reports have been confirmed in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and beyond.
What happens if you respond to a scam text?
Basically, you open yourself up to getting scammed. Responding indicates to the scammer that they’ve got a live one on the hook, a real person that might be willing to communicate with them on the other end. And once they’ve got you, they’ll phish for any piece of information or money they can get. Best to block and report on sight.
Think of it this way – engaging with the scammers on the other side takes you one step closer to the one place on earth that’s worse than the real DMV: the scam DMV.
As a freelance writer, small business owner, and consultant with more than a decade of experience, Dan has been fortunate enough to collaborate with leading brands including Microsoft, Fortune, Verizon, Discover, Office Depot, The Motley Fool, and more. He currently resides in Dallas, TX.