Don’t fall for scam texts using ADOT Motor Vehicle Division logo

PHOENIX – Scam texts are now taking a multimedia approach to make you think you owe money to the Arizona Department of Transportation – or, in this case, the nonexistent Arizona Department of Motor Vehicles. 

Some scammers are adding an ADOT Motor Vehicle Division logo to this all-too-common fake claiming unpaid traffic citations and promising penalties aplenty if you don’t pay. ADOT has seen two versions so far, both of them featuring grammatical errors and originating from overseas. 

Make sure not to click on any links in this or any other suspect text, as the goal is stealing your personal information and money. You should delete these texts and rest easy. 

Once again, and for the record: ADOT does NOT collect for unpaid traffic citations. Another obvious tell in this text, among many others, is its use of “DMV” when ADOT in fact has an “MVD.” 

If you want to get really technical, one of the texts ADOT has reviewed refers to “Arizona Law 15C-16.003,” which is wildly inconsistent with Arizona Revised Statutes citations, (e.g., A.R.S. 28-101). 

These texts are a social engineering attack that the Federal Bureau of Investigation calls “smishing.” Cybercriminals are trying to trick you into sending money by stoking fear and demanding urgent action, in this case by pretending to be a government agency. 

Warning about an increase in scam texts claiming to be from the government, the Arizona Attorney General's Office recently offered this advice. The Federal Trade Commission has tips here for identifying and dealing with spam text messages.