The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security and the Tennessee Highway Patrol Alert the Public of Scams

Tennessee residents are being alerted by the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS) to a new scam that involves text messages appearing to be from the Tennessee Department of Vehicles (DMV). The scam message states that the recipient has unpaid traffic ticket fees and threatens to cancel their driver’s license and vehicle registration if they don’t pay. A link in certain emails takes users to a fake website that mimics the real TDOSHS website. Neither the THP nor the TDOSHS are responsible for these messages. These communications are fraudulent attempts to scam Tennessee residents. This new unpaid traffic ticket scam is comparable to the recent unpaid toll scam and other messages posing as reliable sources that are going viral nationwide. The TDOSHA urges Tennesseans to take these steps to protect themselves: Know that the TDPSHS does not send text messages about overdue traffic fines, fees, payments, or license suspensions. Do not click on any links or respond to unexpected texts. Scammers want you to react quickly. Always use a verified phone number or website. Do not use the contact information in a suspicious message. Check the end of the email. Emails from the Tennessee State Government end in “@tn.gov”. Messages from Gmail, Hotmail, iCloud, or other providers are not official. Report and delete scam text messages. Use your phone’s “report junk” option to report the message, block the number, and then delete it. You can also report scams and suspicious communications to the Federal Trade Commission. If you are a victim of this scam, report your interaction to www.ic3.gov/. For more information about common scams and how to protect yourself, visit the Tennessee Office of the Attorney General’s Division of Consumer Affairs at www.tn.gov/consumer.