The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) announced today an aggressive plan to address the activity of identity thieves who used ServiceArizona.com to complete fraudulent transactions involving duplicate driver licenses. The plan enhances the security of the ServiceArizona website, includes services for victims and for anyone who believes their information may have been compromised, and adds aggressive enforcement measures to hold identity thieves accountable.  
 
Enhanced Security Protocol Implemented
Upon discovering that identity thieves were exploiting a service that allowed duplicate driver licenses to be ordered online and then mailed to an address different than a driver’s address on file, the option was removed to prevent any further criminal activity.

In addition, effective immediately, Arizonans will now be required to provide their full driver license number for all transactions. This will provide an added layer of identity authentication. For customers who do not have their license number, they will be required to visit an MVD office or complete an enhanced security verification process with the MVD call center.

Aggressive Enforcement Measures
ADOT is committed to holding identity thieves accountable. To date, ADOT has led or participated in four large-scale investigations involving this particular type of fraud. Those four cases have so far resulted in 10 arrests for criminal activity that affected 164 known victims.

ADOT will enhance these efforts through a newly-created Online Fraud Task Force, drawing expertise from cyber and law enforcement professionals. The task force will put forward further recommendations to continue aggressively investigating and holding accountable anyone who engages in fraudulent activity.

Credit Monitoring Services for Victims of Identity Theft
ADOT is asking anyone who believes they may have been a victim of identity theft or fraudulent activity associated with the ServiceArizona site to immediately report suspected identity theft to local police or by making a report to the ADOT fraud hotline at 602.277.5684 or [email protected] and inform ADOT of any filed police reports.

ADOT will also offer and issue new driver license numbers to all potential and actual victims of fraud committed through ServiceArizona.com.

These individuals may also seek assistance by taking one or more of the following actions: 

1. Place a free credit report fraud alert. A “fraud alert” warns credit reporting agencies that there may be fraud involved in new requests for credit. Only one of the three main credit reporting agencies must be contacted to institute an alert.
2. Place a credit report security freeze. Under Arizona law, a “security freeze” prevents credit reporting agencies from releasing credit information without the consumer’s express permission. To place a security freeze, write to each of the three main credit reporting agencies by certified mail. Arizona law allows a charge of up to $5 for each request. (See www.azag.gov/consumer/security-freeze for details of the security freeze law.)
3. Request a credit report from the three main credit reporting agencies. Consumers are entitled to receive one free credit report each year from each of the three credit agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Learn more at www.annualcreditreport.com, call 1-877-322-8228, or contact the credit reporting agencies:

• Equifax: 1-800-525-6285, www.equifax.com/personal/ P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
• Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742), www.experian.com [P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
• TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289, www.transunion.com/annual-credit-report, Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

Director John Halikowski said: “The State takes this issue very seriously, and we will have zero tolerance for those who seek to steal the identity of Arizona citizens. These measures will not only provide an added layer of security, but will also allow us to better partner with law enforcement to go after bad actors. We will also be working to ensure the launch of our new site later this year, which will include additional layers of verification to prevent fraud.”

PHOENIX – Spending time on social media can be fun, but spending money for something that’s actually free is not.

The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division has received concerns from social media users wondering about the legitimacy of offers to sell answers to the Arizona driver license written test. Potential buyers should beware because all the information needed to help motorists and potential drivers pass the written test is available for free at azdot.gov.

“MVD has offered free online practice tests for years so that people can see the questions that may come up during the actual exam,” said MVD Stakeholder Relations Manager Jennifer Bowser-Richards. “If someone takes every version of these exams, they will see virtually all of the questions offered. It makes no sense to pay someone for these materials.”

She added, “Customers should also be cautious when doing a web search for the MVD. Doing a search for the ‘Arizona DMV, or ‘DMV Arizona’ will take you to a copycat webpage not affiliated with ADOT. Customers who use those sites will often be charged much larger fees than they would through the MVD, and in some cases they are paying exorbitant prices for something that’s actually free.”

She also noted, “We recently heard from a customer who unfortunately paid $75 for a free MVD service though one of these copycat sites. To be safe, customers should avoid doing a web search and always use ServiceArizona.com for all online MVD services.”

For more information, including the online practice test, visit azdot.gov.

PHOENIX – Getting a learner’s permit used to mean that mom, dad or a guardian had to take a lot of time out of the day to go to an Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division office with their teen to pick up the permit once the written test is passed.

No more.

MVD is now offering office appointments scheduled online to accommodate customers’ schedules.

“We’re adding more online features to make it easier for Arizonans to get out of line and safely on the road,” said MVD Stakeholder Relations Manager Jennifer Bowser-Richards. “The Permit Test @ Home has proven to be extremely popular because it allows parents and teens to spend time at home learning about the rules of the road and taking the test when it’s convenient for them. “

“Making it possible to schedule an MVD office appointment to get the permit itself adds a higher level of convenience. It also means our offices can more strategically manage our services and help all of our customers more quickly,” she added.

To make an appointment, customers can go to ServiceArizona.com and click on the “MVD Office Appointments” tab.

This is the third MVD service to offer online scheduling. Customers can also schedule road tests for driver licenses as well as make an appointment to obtain the Voluntary Travel ID.

For more information: azdot.gov/mvd.

PHOENIX –What comes in many colors but ultimately rakes in the green? The answer is Arizona’s specialty license plates with annual sales exceeding $10 million for the first time ever.

During the fiscal year ending June 30, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Division collected $10,617,427 for veterans’ services, families of fallen first responders, cancer research, historic preservation, college scholarships and many other worthy causes. It was easily the most financially successful period in the history of Arizona’s specialty plates.

“The specialty plate program is a real point of pride for Arizona and is a tremendous success,” said Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division Director Eric Jorgensen. “Seeing this kind of continued growth proves Arizonans are both generous and eager to support great causes.”

In the past year, three new plates were introduced that commemorate Luke Air Force Base, the Arizona Science Center and the Barrett-Jackson auto auction. The Arizona State University plate was redesigned and saw a bump in sales over the previous fiscal year. There was also a significant increase in sales of the Route 66 plate that was introduced in 2017.

Specialty plates typically cost $25. Of that amount, $17 is committed to the benefiting organization. They are available online and at MVD or Authorized Third Party offices.

The specialty plate program was established by state law in 1989 and plates are authorized by the state legislature.

For more information about specialty plates including how to order, please visit ServiceArizona.com or azdot.gov/mvd.

PHOENIX – Until now, getting a more involved vehicle identification number inspection through the Arizona Department of Transportation has required a trip to an inspection site or Motor Vehicle Division office and waiting on a first-come, first-served basis.

That’s changing. Customers are now able to schedule Level 2 and Level 3 VIN inspections through ServiceArizona.com for the Glendale MVD office location. ADOT’s Enforcement and Compliance Division, which handles these inspections, anticipates adding online scheduling for five other locations in Maricopa and Pima counties later this summer.

These inspections confirm the identities of vehicles by matching VIN numbers to titles and other ownership documents.

Offered at MVD offices and Authorized Third Party providers, Level 1 VIN inspections are for out-of-state vehicles without proof of title or registration and for bonded titles. While most vehicles are verified at this level, follow-up inspections sometimes are required by officers at Enforcement and Compliance Division inspection locations:

• Level 2 when a vehicle’s VIN number can’t be matched or the VIN number isn’t there.
• Level 3 when a vehicle is a restored salvage or recovered stolen vehicle, or has been involved in a collision.

The change, part of ADOT’s efforts to continuously improve its customer focus using the Arizona Management System, adds to online appointments launched in 2016 for road tests and those applying for a Voluntary Travel ID.

“This scheduling feature will provide a lot of value to our customers by allowing them to fit the inspection into their schedules instead of arriving early at an office and waiting,” said Jeff Stanhope, Enforcement Services Bureau chief for the Enforcement and Compliance Division. “The new feature made sense given that our officers inspect an average of 840 vehicles per week in the large metropolitan areas.”

To schedule an appointment, visit ServiceArizona.com and click on “Vehicle Inspection Appointments.”

Customers should arrive 15 minutes prior to their appointments and check in with the Enforcement Services representative.

ADOT’s goal is to have all VIN inspection locations statewide available for online scheduling by the end of the year.

A list of VIN inspection locations can be found at azdot.gov/mvd under Enforcement.

Phoenix – Searching for the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division online? Not only should you go to the right website, you also need to be wary of a new trend of people using social media to offer services that are actually free.

“We’ve recently seen Facebook traffic with people offering to sell materials and tutor potential teenage drivers on how to pass the learner’s permit test,” said MVD Stakeholder Relations Manager Jennifer Bowser-Richards.

“While offering those services isn’t illegal, people should know that they can get the same information at no cost at the ADOT MVD website,” she said. “We’ve offered free online practice tests for years and if someone takes the three 30-question exams, they will see almost every question offered. It makes no sense to pay someone for these materials.”

She added, “Customers should also be cautious when doing a web search for the MVD. Doing a search for the ‘Arizona DMV’, or ‘DMV Arizona’ will take you to a copycat webpage not affiliated with ADOT. Customers who use those sites will often be charged much larger fees than they would through the MVD, and in some cases they are paying exorbitant prices for something that’s actually free.”

MVD offers services through www.ServiceArizona.com, and customers accessing ServiceArizona.com may also set up a personal MVD account in the AZ MVD Now application. MVD also has a general information website at www.azdot.gov/mvd.