GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Don’t get smished! Watch out for text messages claiming there is something wrong with your vehicle registration.
The DOT is warning of Smishing texts – or SMS phishing scams. DMV Administrator Kristina Boardman says they’re fraudulent messages from someone posing as a government agency.
“Oftentimes they look like they come from the Department of Transportation or the DMV, but they are asking you for money, asking you to click on a weird link, telling you that your due money, or asking for personal information,” Boardman told WTAQ News. “When you’re getting these texts scamming you out of your personal information, in the world of cyber security, that is referred to as ‘smishing’.”
While the DMV will occasionally send you a text if you signed up for reminder messages, it should be a dead giveaway whether the text you’re receiving is real.
“It always says DO NOT REPLY, DOT.wisconsin.gov. It’s very important that it ends in that government suffix,” Boardman said. “Oftentimes our texts are about time to renew your vehicle, check your email for additional information – or the same for your driver’s license.”
But those messages will not ask about personal information or tell you that you still owe money – or that you’re due to receive a payment.
“If people just get rid of it and don’t interact with it at all, there should be not problem for you…Block the number and delete the text message. Don’t interact with it in any way. If by any chance you did interact with it and you’re having second thoughts, please communicate with us,” Boardman said. “We’re seeing this with other agencies as well, like for unemployment compensation. We’ve also heard about it in a number of other states, so it’s not just Wisconsin. It’s just another sign that you need to be very diligent.”
Now that nearly all DMV transactions can be done completely online, start at wisconsindmv.GOV to ensure it’s the official state government site. For-profit companies with .com or .org may acquire personal information and add additional charges for services that are free at wisconsindmv.GOV.
Wisconsin DMV customers can also directly access information and manage their search with these custom URLs:
- Status check: wisconsindmv.gov/status
- Opt-out of releasing information as required by law: wisconsindmv.gov/opt-out
- Request your record: wisconsindmv.gov/ownrecord
- Renew driver license online: wisconsindmv.gov/renewDL
- Renew license plates online: wisconsindmv.gov/renew
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