ALEA warns of scam pretending to be the ‘Alabama DMV'
ALABAMA (WHNT) — The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is warning Alabama residents of a text messaging scam claiming to be from the 'Alabama Department of Vehicles,' a department that does not exist.
ALEA said the texts threaten to suspend a person's driver's privileges for 30 days and suspend their vehicle registration unless recipients click a malicious link or provide personal information.
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Authorities pointed out that the Alabama Department of Vehicles does not exist, as Alabama does not operate a DMV.
'In Alabama, driver licensing services are administered by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's (ALEA) Driver License Division, and vehicle registration is handled by the Alabama Department of Revenue (ALDOR),' ALEA said. 'Additionally, license plate issuance is handledthrough local county probate offices.'
Officials said ALEA and the Driver's License Division do not send unsolicited messages threatening prosecution or requesting personal information and payment. ALEA said any messages doing those things should be deleted immediately.
ALDOR also said it does not contact taxpayers through text messages.
The agency gave the following tips:
What to Watch For:
Text messages claiming to be from the 'Alabama DMV'
Warnings about immediate license suspension or vehicle registration cancellation
Links prompting users to enter personal or financial information
What to Do:
Do not click on links in suspicious text messages
Do not provide any personal information
Report phishing attempts to the Federal Trade Commission and/or the IC3
'Scammers are trying to create a false sense of urgency by threatening you and your drivingprivileges,' said ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor. 'We urge all Alabamians to be cautious andremember that our Agency will never contact you this way.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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