Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is cautioning residents about a spike in fake text messages claiming to be from his office or the DMV. These fraudulent texts threaten severe penalties such as license suspension or vehicle registration cancellation and urge recipients to click on links or pay bogus fines. The messages often cite phony regulations and deadlines to create a sense of urgent alarm. Residents are reminded not to click on any links, reply, or disclose personal information. Instead, report suspicious messages to [email protected]. Officials stress that legitimate notifications will never demand financial information, threaten penalties, or come unexpectedly via text.
“These text messages look legitimate and are designed to frighten people into acting quickly before they have time to think,” Giannoulias said. “Our office will never send a text message demanding payment or threatening to suspend someone’s license. If you receive a message like this, remember it’s a scam – plain and simple. Do not click the link and please report the message to [email protected].”