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TUSCALOOSA, AL — The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) is warning residents about a nationwide phishing scam targeting Alabamians through fraudulent text messages that claim recipients owe payment for a non-existent traffic violation.
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TCSO says scammers are sending messages that falsely appear to come from the Alabama Department of Revenue and demand immediate payment for an alleged unpaid traffic penalty.
The messages often threaten to suspend a recipient’s driving privileges for 30 days or cancel their vehicle registration unless they click a link or provide personal information.
Authorities say the messages are fraudulent and designed to create a sense of urgency in order to trick recipients into sharing sensitive personal or financial information.
Officials also noted that Alabama does not have an entity known as the “Alabama Department of Vehicles” or a statewide DMV violation system, which some of the scam messages reference.
In Alabama, driver licensing services are handled by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) Driver License Division.
TCSO says ALEA does not send unsolicited text messages threatening prosecution or requesting payment or personal information.
Residents are urged to be cautious if they receive messages claiming to be from the “Alabama DMV,” warning of immediate license suspension or vehicle registration cancellation, or directing them to click links to submit personal or financial information.
Anyone who receives a suspicious message should avoid clicking any links, refrain from providing personal information and delete the message immediately.
Officials also encourage residents to report scam attempts to the Federal Trade Commission or the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
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