Fraud Alert: Beware of Fake “Maine DMV” Texts
What’s happening?
Today, hundreds of Mainers were targeted by an elaborately worded scam text that appears to come from the Maine DMV. The text falsely claims you have unpaid traffic violations and threatens to suspend your registration and license and even hit your credit rating unless you submit payment via a provided link.
Today, hundreds of Mainers were targeted by an elaborately worded scam text that appears to come from the Maine DMV. The text falsely claims you have unpaid traffic violations and threatens to suspend your registration and license and even hit your credit rating unless you submit payment via a provided link.
How to spot it:
- The message pressures you with urgent language and penalties.
- It often arrives from a non-official sender.
- It includes a suspicious link—never click it!
Real message vs. scam:
Legitimate communications about vehicle suspensions come directly from the Secretary of State’s office, and you will not receive them via text.
Protect yourself:
- Delete and ignore the text—do not click the link.
- Report it to your phone provider (e.g., forward to 7726).
- Verify through official channels if you’re concerned—visit Maine’s Secretary of State website or call DMV using official numbers.
Scammers are impersonating the Maine DMV, using fear and urgency to trick you into clicking fake links and paying bogus fines. Real DMV notifications won’t arrive by text with payment links. If in doubt, don’t click—delete, block, and reach out to the real DMV.