Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has issued a warning to residents about a new scam involving fraudulent text messages. The scam claims to be from the "State of Michigan Department of Vehicles" and tells recipients they have an unpaid ticket that must be paid immediately. The message threatens penalties such as license suspension, registration suspension, and legal action if payment is not made. It also includes a link to a fake payment site and asks for personal and financial information.

“These messages are scams,” said Nessel. “Michigan does not have a Department of Vehicles, and the Secretary of State does not send text messages threatening to suspend your license or registration. If you receive a text message like this, delete it, and do not click on any links.”

The Attorney General’s office noted several signs that indicate these texts are smishing attempts—a type of phishing conducted via text message. Warning signs include unsolicited messages, texts sent from unusually long phone numbers, links that appear shortened or scrambled, urgent language demanding immediate action, grammatical errors, promises of rewards or prizes for responding, and requests for personal or financial details.

Officials advise consumers not to reply to suspicious texts or click on any links or attachments. Instead, users should use spam-blocking features on their mobile devices. Smishing attempts can be reported by forwarding the texts to SPAM (7726) and sending them to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The FTC is currently closed due to the federal government shutdown but will resume normal operations once funding is restored. However, its online resource on what steps to take if scammed remains available during the shutdown.

Residents seeking more information or wishing to file a complaint with the Attorney General can contact the Consumer Protection Team by mail at P.O. Box 30213 in Lansing, MI 48909; by phone at 517-335-7599; fax at 517-241-3771; toll-free at 877-765-8388; or through an online complaint form.