BBB warns of fake traffic ticket texts

ST. LOUIS (KBSI) — The Better Business Bureau is advising consumers to be cautious of fake text messages claiming to be from government agencies regarding outstanding traffic tickets.

The phishing texts, which appear to be from state Departments of Revenue, Motor Vehicles or Transportation, urge recipients to pay fines quickly via a provided link, threatening penalties such as registration suspension.

The Missouri Department of Revenue, Missouri Department of Transportation and Illinois Department of Transportation have warned that they do not solicit payments via text message.

To avoid falling victim to such scams:

Verify the authenticity of the message by contacting the agency directly
Keep track of your tickets
Be wary of unsolicited texts with suspicious links or grammatical errors
Do not provide personal information or click on unexpected links
Block the number and report the text to BBB Scam Tracker and the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.