Identifying Scam Texts

Have you received text messages in which the Arizona Department of Transportation, the Motor Vehicle Division or nonexistent entities (e.g., Arizona Department of Motor Vehicles) demand payment for outstanding traffic tickets or tolls? These are scams. 

Here’s what’s happening: Scammers are using a technique called smishing, which combines text messages and phishing techniques to generate a sense of urgency that gets you to turn over sensitive information and money.

• Sloppiness: Scam messages often have spelling, grammar and syntax errors (e.g.,”Now payment”).
• Proper noun errors: While some scam texts have referred to the Arizona Department of Transportation, ADOT and the Motor Vehicle Division, others have claimed to be from the Department of Motor Vehicles, DMV, AZDOT, Ministry of Transportation and even the Ministry of Communications.
• Factual errors: The Arizona state highway system doesn’t have toll roads, for example.
• Concerning links: The link provided may or not include some form of azdot.gov, ADOT’s website, but usually will include additional type clearly intended to take you to a site other than ADOT’s.
• Check the return number: In some cases, but not always, the number from which a text is sent is in another country or state.

• Delete the message: On an iPhone, you can also report these messages as junk. 
• Don’t click links: As the FBI advises, following a link in a scam text or email puts you at risk.
• Research: Customers can check their MVD accounts at azmvdnow.gov to see any outstanding payments, or contact the Arizona MVD through several secure and safe options. Additionally, you could visit an MVD office, where average wait times are only about 12 minutes. 
• Be alert: The Arizona Attorney General's Office recently noted that scammers are increasingly pretending to be from government agencies (not just ADOT) to try to get people to hand over sensitive information and money..
• Take action (optional): You can file a complaint with the federal Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov. You’ll need to include the phone number from which the text originated and the website listed within the text.