Fraud alert: Another text scam surfaces in NC, this time involving the DMV
It seems there’s no end to the fake text messages that try to cheat people out of money.
The latest ones making the rounds purport to come from the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles. The texts claim the receiver owes money — either an unpaid fine, fee or toll — and provides a fake website and a deadline to settle the debt.
It’s all bogus, according to the DMV.
“NCDMV does not and will never request payments via text message,” the agency said in a press release Tuesday.
There are several other clues that the texts are phony. Be mindful of the origin; one version comes from a number that begins with the country code 63, which is the Philippines. It also refers to section 15C-16.003 of the North Carolina state code, which doesn’t exist. In fact, the scam texts in other states use the same made up numbers.
Finally, the texts claim to be from the “North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles.” In North Carolina, the D in DMV stands for “division.”
The DMV urges people to report the texts as spam or junk and delete them. They may also want to report the texts to their mobile carrier or the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint.
Above all, don’t click on the links provided or send any money.
The DMV scam comes a few months after state officials warned of one involving highway tolls. Those texts told people they owed money to the N.C. Turnpike Authority or some generic toll agency and provided a link to a website where they were told they must pay their debt or face additional charges, fees or legal action.
To learn more about how to identify phishing texts and scams, go to ncdoj.gov/internet-safety/phishing/.
This story was originally published June 3, 2025 at 4:32 PM with the headline "Fraud alert: Another text scam surfaces in NC, this time involving the DMV."
