Latest news with #DarielFernandez
CBS News
23-05-2025
- CBS News
Miami-Dade officials warn of DMV text scam targeting residents
Miami-Dade officials are sounding the alarm on a growing text message scam that falsely claims to be from the DMV, warning residents that their licenses may be suspended due to unpaid tolls. Authorities say it's a phishing scheme aimed at stealing personal information and money. Fake texts claim license suspension over unpaid tolls Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez said his office has seen a surge in reports from residents who received fraudulent text messages. "These are hackers that are sending this text message to try to steal information from our residents," Fernandez said. The messages often claim the recipient must pay a fee or risk having their driver's license suspended. "I actually had a friend tell me about it at work and she fell for it," said Rowena Mendat, who shared that her friend lost hundreds of dollars after receiving such a message. "She had a text message saying that she had to pay something and if it wasn't paid that she was going to have a suspended license," Mendat said. Fernandez emphasized that the Florida DMV does not conduct license reinstatements through text messages. "The motor vehicle of the state of Florida never, never send text message to you to reinstate your driver license as a matter of fact this process need to be in person," he said. Scammers and scalpers target DMV services This scam alert comes as Florida cracks down on another issue plaguing the DMV: appointment scalpers. Scalpers attempting to sell DMV appointments can now face serious penalties following the unanimous passage of House Bill 0961 by the state legislature. "If they do that now they can be fined for $1,000 or one year in prison," Fernandez said. Meanwhile, residents like Mendat continue to struggle with the DMV system. "Just drive around Broward County until I find a DMV that will accept a walk in," she said. Fernandez added that his office is working with both state and federal authorities to track down the scammers behind the fake messages.
Miami Herald
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
A huge Miami DMV office is closing — but just for one day for upgrades
The county agency promising to fix Miami-Dade's DMV lines announced a one-day shutdown of the driver's-license office at the former Mall of the Americas as part of a technology upgrade. On Saturday, May 3, the DMV office at Midway Crossings, formerly known as the Mall of the Americas, will close and then reopen with its regular hours on Monday, May 5, the Miami-Dade Tax Collector's Office announced on Wednesday. The closure is one of the last steps before the Tax Collector's Office takes over the Midway Crossings DMV office, which is one of the largest in Florida and currently part of a state-run agency. People often have to wait hours in line at DMV offices across South Florida to get a walk-in appointment, while online scheduling portals are booked out for weeks. Even showing up before the doors open doesn't mean you'll get in, with some people camping overnight for spots. The DMV offices are mostly state-run operations in South Florida, but that's changing. Florida is turning over all of its DMV offices in Broward and Miami-Dade to the counties' recently elected tax collectors. While Broward is waiting until 2026 to take over the state DMV offices, Miami-Dade Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez said he's pushing to get control of the 10 in his county as soon as possible. His staff already runs the Northside (15555 Biscayne Blvd. in North Miami) and Central (3721 NW Seventh St. in Miami) DMV offices. He also added DMV windows to the existing Tax Collector's Office (200 NW Second Ave. in Miami). Next on his takeover list is the Midway Crossings office (7795 W. Flagler St. near Westchester), the largest in Miami-Dade. 'There will be more people working over there — every single window will be open,' Fernandez said Wednesday. 'The state is open on Saturdays until just 1 p.m. [at Midway Crossings]. We'll be extending the hours of operation to 4:30 p.m.' Both the Central and downtown offices will be open this Saturday. Daiana Rocha, spokesperson for the Tax Collector's Office, said the Midway Crossings site was not taking appointments for Saturday, so the closure only affects people who were hoping to show up that day. Fernandez said technological upgrades at the offices include credit-card machines at each checkout window, appointment software designed to foil driving schools from scooping up hundreds of appointments in a single day, and virtual line-waiting options that notify people when their walk-in slot is approaching so that they can wait in their cars or visit a nearby store. Fernandez, a Republican elected in November to an office that had previously been an appointed position within county government, said people needing driver's-licenses should see big improvements soon at the Midway Crossings location. 'Give me two weeks,' he said.
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Miami Herald
02-04-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Miami-Dade cracks down on DMV scalpers — now let's fix the entire system
Anyone who has tried to book an appointment for a driver's license or other service at one of Miami-Dade's nine DMV offices knows the struggle. The experience is about as pleasant as a trip to the dentist but just as necessary. Last month, newly elected Miami-Dade Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez exposed an appointment scalping operation that had been making service at the soon-to-be abolished Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles offices across the county even worse, he said. Appointment slots were vanishing from the online portal quickly, hoarded by scalpers — driving schools — Fernandez said, whose employees were then reselling them to people who needed a quick spot in line. Most people need an appointment to be served. Walk-ins are allowed but that generally requires a predawn showing to make it inside the building. People reportedly paid anywhere from $25 to $250 to get a same day appointment in line. According to Fernandez, this scheme was 'collapsing' the system, making it even harder for everyday residents to secure a spot. That shady practice is now illegal. On Tuesday, the Miami-Dade Commission unanimously passed a law making it a misdemeanor to sell DMV or other government service appointments. Sponsored by Commissioner Kevin Cabrera, the law carries a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail for violators. This is a win for residents who just want a fair shot at getting their driver's licenses without additional unnecessary hurdles — or worse, being forced to pay. The commission rightfully stepped in to level the playing field. As Cabrera said, 'No one should have to pay a third party just to access basic government service.' He's right. But Fernandez should keep the momentum of reform for our DMV offices. It's perfect timing; the local DMV offices, run by the state for years, will now be run by Fernandez's new, expanded tax collector office. Completing basic services like renewing your license or getting a new one shouldn't turn into an all-day ordeal, with or without an appointment. Banning scalping by driving schools is just one piece of the puzzle. The fact that this happened in the first place proves the DMV system is already broken. It's rare to see a DMV office without a huge line in front. Now, with the Real ID requirement on your driver's license set to start in May, more people likely will be coming in to update their licenses. Fernandez, a former tech entrepreneur, has promised to modernize a system that has long been the punch line for jokes about bad service. So far, he has added an extra location in downtown Miami where people can get or renew their driver's licenses. He's already implemented technology that blocks multiple bookings from the same phone number. But he's not stopping there — he's pushing for more DMV services to be available online and working to make appointment scheduling faster and easier. He wants to give the DMV the overhaul it needs. Those are steps in the right direction. The fact that scalping even became a business in the first place shows how badly the system has been failing residents for years. We're glad to see Fernandez, Cabrera and the county commission swiftly tackle this issue head-on. The changes, of course, will cost money. In an opinion article that appeared in the Miami Herald last month, Fernandez warned the 'initial improvements' of changing the county's nine state-run driver's license offices to be run by the county is roughly $40 million. As a constitutional officer, the tax collector sets his own budget, not the county mayor. The new county law is a start. It sends a clear message that it's a new day at the DMV, by reinforcing a basic rule: government services should be accessible to everyone — not just those who can afford to buy their way to the front of the line. Send a letter to the editor to heralded@ Click here BEHIND THE STORY MORE What's an editorial? Editorials are opinion pieces that reflect the views of the Miami Herald Editorial Board, a group of opinion journalists that operates separately from the Miami Herald newsroom. Miami Herald Editorial Board members are: opinion editor Amy Driscoll and editorial writers Luisa Yanez and Isadora Rangel. Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right. What's the difference between an op-ed and a column? Op-Eds, short for 'opposite the editorial page,' are opinion pieces written by contributors who are not affiliated with our Editorial Board. Columns are recurring opinion pieces that represent the views of staff columnists that regularly appear on the op-ed page. How does the Miami Herald Editorial Board decide what to write about? The Editorial Board, made up of experienced opinion journalists, primarily addresses local and state issues that affect South Florida residents. Each board member has an area of focus, such as education, COVID or local government policy. Board members meet daily and bring up an array of topics for discussion. Once a topic is fully discussed, board members will further report the issue, interviewing stakeholders and others involved and affected, so that the board can present the most informed opinion possible. We strive to provide our community with thought leadership that advocates for policies and priorities that strengthen our communities. Our editorials promote social justice, fairness in economic, educational and social opportunities and an end to systemic racism and inequality. The Editorial Board is separate from the reporters and editors of the Miami Herald newsroom. How can I contribute to the Miami Herald Opinion section? The Editorial Board accepts op-ed submissions of 650-700 words from community members who want to argue a specific viewpoint or idea that is relevant to our area. You can email an op-ed submission to oped@ We also accept 150-word letters to the editor from readers who want to offer their points of view on current issues. For more information on how to submit a letter, go here.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Yahoo
Scalpers Caught Selling Free DMV Appointments For $250 In Miami
A scheduled trip to renew your driver's license in South Florida is so highly sought after that you'd assumed Taylor Swift was performing live. The Miami-Dade County Tax Collector's Office announced on Monday that it uncovered a network of scalpers who hoarded free DMV appointments and resold them for up to $250. While the office is taking steps to stomp out the exploitative practice, going to the DMV has become such a torturous experience that drivers were willing to shell out to avoid it in the first place. Scalpers amassed appointments using bots and fake accounts to exploit an online system. The Tax Collector's Office spotted 200 suspicious appointments in the first three weeks after opening a new downtown Miami location for driver's license services, the Miami Herald reports. The agency has its sights set on individuals who are part of local driving schools as suspects in strangling the DMV's system. Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez said in a release: "We know who they are and how they operate. We will not accept any appointment obtained through system abuse. Our office is committed to ensuring that all residents have fair and equal access to services without interference from those seeking to exploit the system." Read more: Apparently It's Illegal To Put A 'For Sale' Sign In Your Truck Now Local drivers were only pushed to buy appointments because the standard DMV experience had become absolutely unbearable. According to WTVJ, people could be subjected to a multi-day ordeal just to renew their license. One woman spoke about how her husband arrived at 9 a.m. to renew his hazmat license, but he was turned away at 1 p.m. as the staff was inundated with people seeking services. The current rhetoric around government bureaucracy seeks to overlook when necessary services are overlooked or mismanaged. The conditions in South Flordia are reminiscent of DPS appointments in Texas in 2021. With months-long waits for online appointments, Texans were camping out in front of offices for a chance at a same-day appointment to renew their driver's license. At two separate locations, at least 100 people were in line, with only 25 same-day bookings up for offer. The efforts to weed out scalped appointments could make selling booking a criminal offense. Miami-Dade's county commissioner introduced legislation to make selling DMV appointments illegal, with a potential fine of $500. This also coincides with the county's tax collector office taking control of the DMV from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. New management is opening new locations and extending office hours to deal with the overwhelming demand. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Miami Herald
17-03-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Scalpers ‘hoarding' and selling appointments at Miami-Dade DMVs, tax collector says
Appointments are a hot commodity at DMV offices across Miami-Dade County — and apparently are for sale. On Monday, the county agency in the process of taking over driver's-license services in Miami-Dade declared it had 'uncovered a network of appointment scalpers' who have been 'hoarding free appointments and reselling them for a profit.' 'We know who they are and how they operate,' Miami-Dade Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez (R) said in a press release, promising a crackdown. 'We will not accept any appointment obtained through system abuse.' Lines outside the state-run DMV offices can form the night before for walk-in slots, and people report having to wait months to get appointments. Fernandez's office put most of the blame on driving schools in Broward and Miami-Dade, which appear to be securing appointments under random names and then selling customers the coveted time slots. The appointments sold for as low as $25 and as high as $250, the office said. 'We are still investigating, but it appears that many of the people scalping appointments were part of driving schools in Miami-Dade and Broward County, which has been collapsing our system,' the Tax Collector's Office said in a written response to questions about Monday's release. 'Some of the residents on the list never showed up to their appointments, possibly because they were simply placeholders for individuals to whom they resold the appointments.' In the three weeks since Fernandez's office opened up a downtown Miami office for driver's-license services, a suspected 200 appointments came through suspected scalpers, his office said. The scalpers got the time slots through the online appointment system, utilizing bots, fake accounts and other means to secure appointments, the office said. While DMV locations in Miami-Dade are mostly run by the state, the county Tax Collector's Office is in the process of taking them over under a change mandated by state law. Most Florida counties already run their license offices, but the change in the Florida Constitution that mandated Miami-Dade elect an independent tax collector in November also requires the office to take over the state's DMV operations. The practice of reselling appointments does not appear to be illegal, according to Fernandez, who said he'll be urging changes in laws to ban appointment scalping. 'We believe this type of activity has been happening for a long time at other DMV state-run locations. We are taking action to make this illegal and enforce the law to stop the fraud,' Fernandez said in a statement. 'I'm here to fix it, and in the coming days, we will be working with our local and state partners to find a solution to this problem.'
