Police Warn Public About DMV Text Scam

The Hawai‘i Police Department is warning the public of a text scam after receiving reports of unknown individuals posing as representatives from the Hawai‘i Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) claiming that the recipients have an outstanding traffic fine that must be paid immediately to avoid penalties. 

While this scam is not new it is making a resurgence, with several residents reporting it to police this week in both Hilo and Kona and multiple police officers receiving the text message.

The scam text message typically states that the DMV is “urgently reminding” the recipient of an unpaid fine and warns that failure to pay will result in a 30-day suspension of the recipient’s driver’s license, a 35 percent surcharge, and possible legal proceedings. These messages often include a link directing individuals to a website requesting payment or personal information.

These messages are fraudulent. There is no “Hawai‘i Department of Motor Vehicles”. The Department of Motor Vehicles does not send text messages notifying individuals of outstanding fines, unpaid traffic violations, or license suspension warnings. Any such text message should be treated as a scam.

Members of the public are advised to take the following precautions:

• Do not click on any links contained in suspicious text messages.
• Do not provide personal or financial information in response to unsolicited messages.
• Delete the message immediately.

Scammers frequently use urgent language to pressure individuals into acting quickly. The public is encouraged to remain cautious and verify any unexpected communication claiming to be from a government agency. We encourage residents to stay vigilant against scams. 

If you have clicked on the link or entered financial information, the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation recommends the following:

• Close the page immediately.
• Scan your device (i.e., whatever you opened the link on) for malware and ensure your antivirus and security tools are up to date.
• If you entered any information on the site, change your passwords and enable multifactor authentication.
• Monitor your bank and credit accounts.
• Report the scam at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/.