NORTH CAROLINA — North Carolina residents are being warned about a new wave of scam text messages falsely claiming to be from the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles.
The messages allege that recipients have outstanding traffic violations and threaten enforcement actions if payment is not made by a specified deadline. One version of the scam text circulating statewide reads:
“North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Final Notice: Enforcement will begin on January 20th.
Our records show that you still have an outstanding traffic ticket as of today. According to North Carolina Administrative Code 15C-16.003, if you do not pay the fine before January 19, 2026, we will take the following actions:
• Report the violation to the DMV violation database
• Suspend your vehicle registration starting January 19th
• Suspend your driving privileges for 30 days
• Charge a 35% service fee at toll booths
• You may be prosecuted, and your credit score will be affected.
Pay Now: (Gives fradulant URL).
Please pay immediately before enforcement begins to avoid driver’s license suspension and further legal trouble.
Officials stress that the message is fraudulent and should not be trusted. Residents who receive the text are advised to delete it immediately, block the sender and avoid clicking on any links or sharing personal or financial information.
Scam texts can be reported to a mobile carrier or to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.
The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles has previously warned residents about similar schemes. Last year, the agency issued an alert regarding a surge in fraudulent text messages requesting payments for fees, fines or tolls that appeared to come from the NCDMV.
“NCDMV does not and will never request payments via text message,” said NCDMV in a press release last June.