Latest news with #ColoradoDMV
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Colorado DMV and Pueblo officials warn residents not to fall for DMV text scam
The Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles and Pueblo County law enforcement are warning residents not to fall for a text message scam that impersonates the state DMV. The messages in question, which claim to be from the Colorado DMV, state that the recipient has an outstanding ticket and threaten a list of serious consequences for non-payment, including suspension of registration and driving privileges, financial consequences, and even prosecution. The text messages include a fraudulent link to pay, and threaten the recipient to "pay immediately before enforcement." "These deceptive messages are crafted to appear as official communications from the Colorado DMV," the state DMV said in a news release. "Their primary goal is to frighten recipients into clicking malicious links and divulging personal or financial information under the guise of settling non-existent violations." "It is critical for all Coloradans to understand these messages are not from the Colorado DMV," the release states. "The DMV does not initiate contact via unsolicited text messages and emails to demand payment for tickets or to threaten prosecution or suspension of privileges in this manner." If you receive a suspicious text message claiming to be from the DMV, the DMV warns: Do not click on any links. These links often lead to fake websites designed to steal your information. Do not share any personal or financial information. This includes your driver's license number, social security number, credit card details, or banking information. Do not reply to the text message or email. If you are concerned about the status of your driver's license, vehicle registration, or any potential tickets, contact the Colorado DMV directly through its official website at or by phone at 303-205-5600. Do not use any contact information provided in the suspicious message. If you have not engaged in any activity that would result in a ticket or penalty, it is almost certainly a scam, according to the state DMV. Anyone who receives a fraudulent message is encouraged to report it to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at or the Federal Trade Commission at Be sure to include the phone number or email that sent the message and the website linked in the text. The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office also noted in a post on the social media website X that there are many red flags in the fraudulent texts, from the telephone number having too many digits, to the email address featuring odd spellings and typos, and the sender asking the recipient to open a link and/or copy it to their browser. "If you are unsure about whether a message you receive is legitimate, call the source of the sender to verify. Never give personal/financial info and don't click any unknown or suspect links," PCSO officials wrote. "Be alert and look closely at the messages before acting." The Pueblo Police Department is cautioning residents to "stay vigilant and trust your gut." "If something seems suspicious about a text or call, trust your instincts — don't share personal information or click any links," Pueblo PD officials said in their own X post. "The Colorado DMV urges all residents to be extremely cautious and to share this warning with friends and family," the state DMV wrote. "Vigilance is key to protecting your personal information from these evolving scams." More on public safety: Pueblo police say armed shoplifting suspect struck and killed by police vehicle Questions, comments, or story tips? Contact Justin at jreutterma@ Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @jayreutter1. Support local news, subscribe to the Pueblo Chieftain at This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Got a text from the 'Colorado DMV' saying you owe money? It's a scam
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Did you get a scary text claiming to be from the Colorado DMV? What to know about scam
A "new wave" of scam text messages impersonating the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles prompted the agency to alert the public not to comply with the threats. The text messages claim the recipients have unpaid tickets and threaten things like prosecution, suspension of vehicle registration and revocation of driving privileges, the division stated in a June 4 news release. The text messages are written as if they were official communication from the division to entice the recipient "into clicking malicious links and divulging personal or financial information under the guise of settling non-existent violations," the division stated in the news release. "These messages are not from the Colorado DMV. The DMV does not initiate contact via unsolicited text messages to demand payment for tickets or to threaten prosecution or suspension of privileges in this manner," it said. The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles says that exact phrasing can vary but the scam texts usually: "State they are from the 'Colorado DMV' or a similar official-sounding entity." "Allege outstanding unpaid tickets or violations." "Threaten imminent legal action, such as prosecution." "Warn of pending suspension of vehicle registration and/or driving privileges." "Contain a link to a fake website to 'resolve' the issue or make a payment." The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles offered this guidance: Don't click on links, as they "often lead to fake websites designed to steal your information," the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicle warned. Don't share personal or financial information, including your driver's license number, Social Security number, credit card information or banking information. Don't reply. Contact the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles directly through its official website, or by phone at 303-205-5600. Do not use the contact information listed in the suspicious text. "If you have not engaged in any activity that would result in a ticket or penalty, it is almost certainly a scam," the news release stated. If you get one of the fraudulent texts, you can report it to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, or the Federal Trade Commission, Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles said to include the following in your report: The phone number or email address the message came from. The website that the text linked to. This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado DMV warns public of latest scam text messages
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Colorado DMV warns residents on new text scam
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — On Wednesday, the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) warns Coloradans about fraudulent text messages that impersonate the DMV. These scam texts claim that individuals have unpaid tickets and threaten consequences for not paying them, such as suspension of a vehicle registration. These scam texts typically: State that they are from the Colorado DMV or another government agency. Allege that there are outstanding unpaid tickets or violations. Threaten with immediate legal action, like prosecution. Warn of the pending suspension of vehicle registration or driving privileges. Contain a link to a fake website to resolve the issue or make a payment. The Colorado DMV reminds Coloradans that these messages are not from the entity. The DMV does not contact individuals through unsolicited text messages to demand payment or threaten prosecution. If an individual receives a suspicious text message from the DMV: Do not click on any links, as they often lead to fake websites. Do not share any personal or financial information, like a driver's license number or banking information. Do not reply to the text message. If an individual is concerned about the status of their driver's license, vehicle registration, or tickets, they should contact the Colorado DMV through its official website at or by phone at 303-205-5600. This warning follows a trend of rising scam activity. Last week, the Grand Junction Police Department issued a warning to Grand Junction residents about fraudulent phone calls and emails from scammers impersonating government agencies or falsely alleging that an individual's loved one is hurt. Anyone who receives a scam text is encouraged to report it to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at or the Federal Trade Commission at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Scammers are 'threatening severe consequences' in texts impersonating Colorado DMV
(COLORADO) — In a new wave of fraudulent text messages, scammers are directly impersonating the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), claiming that people have unpaid tickets or traffic violations and are 'threatening severe consequences' such as prosecution, suspension of vehicle registration, and revocation of driving privileges. Don't fall for this: Scam texts impersonate toll agencies, Colorado DMV 'These deceptive text messages are crafted to appear as official communications from the Colorado DMV. Their primary goal is to frighten recipients into clicking malicious links and divulging personal or financial information under the guise of settling non-existent violations,' the DMV warning read. As seen in the photo, the fraudulent texts typically include the following: State they are from the 'Colorado DMV' or a similar official-sounding entity. Alleged outstanding unpaid tickets or violations. Threaten imminent legal action, such as prosecution. Warn of pending suspension of vehicle registration and/or driving privileges. Contain a link to a fake website to 'resolve' the issue or make a payment. 'It is critical for all Coloradans to understand: These messages are NOT from the Colorado DMV,' the warning continued. 'The DMV does not initiate contact via unsolicited text messages to demand payment for tickets or to threaten prosecution or suspension of privileges in this manner.' Do NOT click on any links. These links often lead to fake websites designed to steal your information. Do NOT share any personal or financial information. This includes your driver's license number, Social Security number, credit card details, or banking information. Do NOT reply to the text message. According to the DMV, if someone is concerned about the status of their driver's license, vehicle registration, or any potential tickets, they should contact the Colorado DMV directly through its official website or by phone at (303) 205-5600. Anyone who receives one of these fraudulent texts is encouraged to report it to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center or the Federal Trade Commission. 'Be sure to include the phone number or email that sent the message and the website linked in the text.' For those who think they may have fallen victim to this scam, the DMV suggests for its fraud alert page. 'The Colorado DMV urges all residents to be extremely cautious and to share this warning with friends and family. Vigilance is key to protecting your personal information from these evolving scams.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Don't fall for this: Scam texts impersonate toll agencies, Colorado DMV
(COLORADO) — Text messages that are impersonating the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and official toll agencies are falsely claiming that people owe unpaid tolls or other traffic violations and are threatening that if payments are not received, the victim will face DMV-related fines or penalties. 'These scam texts often appear to come from official toll agencies and may reference the DMV to intimidate recipients into making immediate payments or providing personal information,' according to the Colorado DMV's website. 'The messages typically contain a link to a fake website that closely resembles an official toll payment site.' The DMV recommends the following actions if one of these texts is received: Do not click on any links. Do not share personal or financial information. Visit the official toll agency website to verify any legitimate billing or notices. If you don't have a toll account or haven't recently used a toll road, it's almost certainly a scam. Anyone who receives one of these fraudulent texts is encouraged to report it to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center or the Federal Trade Commission. 'Be sure to include the phone number or email that sent the message and the website linked in the text.' To learn more about protecting yourself from fraud, visit Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
