RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Officials with the Nevada Office of Emergency Management/Homeland Security are warning the public of a text message scam involving payment demands being made for fake traffic violations.
The messages allege that the recipient has an outstanding or overdue traffic ticket requiring immediate payment.
State officials say the messages appear to have been made using AI and combine references to multiple unrelated state agencies.
They say the NV OEM has no jurisdiction over traffic violations, driver’s licenses, DMV records, or debt collection of any kind.
They say these are the key indicators that the message is fraudulent:
• Generic Greetings, Signatures, and Errors: Messages may use vague titles or appear to come from government staff but lack official verification. You may also notice errors or inconsistencies in the information.
• NV OEM Logo: Scam messages may include official state or NV OEM logos; however, these often appear misspelled, incorrect, faint, or blurry, which is inconsistent with legitimate state correspondence.
• Urgency or Threats: Scammers often create a sense of urgency, claiming you have an unpaid or overdue traffic violation and that action will be taken if you do not pay immediately. Messages may include threatening language about license suspension, credit damage, or legal action. Nevada state agencies do not notify residents of traffic violations through unsolicited text messages and do not solicit payment via QR codes, personal links, or third-party payment portals.
• Requests for Personal or Financial Information: Never provide credit card, bank account, or other personal information in response to unsolicited messages.
• Unexpected Payment Requests: NV OEM and other state agencies do not request payments via links or QR codes directing you to submit payment.
Protect Yourself:
• Do Not Respond or Call: Avoid engaging with the message, scanning any QR code, or calling any provided numbers or emails. If you receive this message, do not respond, click links, or provide payment or personal information. Delete the message immediately.
• Verify Directly: For official information regarding applications, fees, or government correspondence, always contact the appropriate department directly using verified contact information.
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