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DDS warns about text phishing scam
The Georgia Department of Driver Services said a text is going around claiming Georgia resident's licenses have been suspend and then asks to verify information. Officials warn this not how it is done.
ATLANTA - The Georgia Department of Driver Services said scammers are using text messages to try to get personal information.
Federal investigators reported text message scams have cost Americans millions of dollars.
The DDS is warning drivers about the text message that falsely reports a license suspension or claims a license is at risk of being suspended.
A department spokesperson said scammers are becoming more sophisticated.
"They know that your driver's license is the gateway to a lot of things," DDS Public Information Officer Susan Sports said.
Sport said they "have seen scams involving emails and telephones, but this is the first one that we have seen with a text based message."
The department said customers have been getting messages asking them to follow a suspicious link. It claims driver’s license verification is needed because of a temporary suspension.
They said those text messages are a fraud and likely an attempt by scammers to get personal information.
"DDS will communicate with our customers in writing before we take any action on their driver's license. The second thing, we would never call or text or email a customer unless they contacted us first," Sports explained.
The department said they have not heard of any customers actually clicking the link.
Experts said voice and computer phishing scammers use various tactics to trick victims into handing over personal or financial information.
FOX 5 previously reported the Federal Trade Commission reported texting scams account for a fifth of all fraud cases.
The FTC said those texts targeted Americans for more than $130 million in 2021.
"There's a lot of information on your driver’s licenses that criminals could use to perpetuate criminal activity," Sports detailed.
DDS urges everyone to be vigilant of any unsolicited telephone calls, emails, or texts that claim to be government agencies or companies that instruct them to follow a link or open an attachment to update or verify personal information
The agency said customers can easily verify the status of their license on its website.