04-06-2025
- Business
- Indianapolis Star
Don't fall for the latest text messaging scam claiming you have unpaid traffic fines
No, the Indiana Department of Vehicles won't text you to demand you pay your traffic tickets. In fact, there is no "Indiana DMV."
In Indiana, drivers instead have the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, or BMV. But they aren't sending you these texts, either.
A recent text message scam across multiple states is now targeting Hoosiers. It's yet another smishing, or SMS phishing scam, and recipients should not go to the link in the text.
The scam is similar to recent fraudulent texts and emails about unpaid tolls.
The messages may claim if unpaid traffic fines aren't paid right away, drivers' will be added to a violation database;' their vehicle registrations or licenses will be suspended; they'll face an additional service fee; they'll be prosecuted; and their credit scores will be affected.
"Please pay immediately before enforcement to avoid license suspension and further legal disputes," one text message received Wednesday reads. It gives a link that is not for a government website.
Scam texts: Indianapolis is one of the top cities receiving toll road scam texts in the United States
Don't follow the instructions in the text. You can report the fraudulent texts to the Federal Trade Commission at
