By: Lydia Crawley – The Parsons Advocate
Chief of Parsons Police Kevin Keplinger warns the public that there is a scam targeting Tucker County currently using text messaging.
“There is a DMV scam that is going around right now on text message,” Keplinger said.
The West Virginia DMV have also issued a statement warning the public of the scam. This scam will text message individuals claiming to be the DMV from any number of States. In the message, it will claim that a violation has occurred such as a toll has been unpaid or a fine and that the individual’s license is due to be suspended unless they click on a supplied link to pay.
The DMV has stated in its statement that the text may use such threatening language as “West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Final notice.” The text will also threaten to “initiate formal enforcement proceedings” if payment is not received by a specific date and include such consequences as “violation information will be recorded in the Department of Motor Vehicles enforcement data base,” “Vehicle registration is suspended,” “Driver’s license is suspended,” “Mandatory payment of 35% administrative fee,” and “Possible legal action and negative credit report Pay Now.”
None of this is legitimate, the DMV states. The DMV further states in its statement that the agency never sends out text messages and urges the public to not click on any text posing to be from the agency.
“Its a scam,” State DMV Commissioner Everett Frazier said. “Do not click on it. The DMV does not send out texts.”
Chief Keplinger also stated that no DMV agencies in the country use text messaging to communicate and would never send text messages to individuals demanding payment or to inform them of impending suspension.
“There are no State DMV agencies anywhere in the United States that will send you at text message to tell you that you are in violation of a fine, of a toll and that your license is going to be suspended,” Keplinger said.
Keplinger said that there is not a State in the United States that will contact individual via text message. Residents should disregard any text message they receive claiming to be from the DMV.
“If it comes through my text, its a scam,” Keplinger said. “DMV does not communicate that way.”
