There have been recent reports within Middlesex County and statewide of residents who received a SMS text message phishing scam (SMiShing) impersonating the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). This scam was prevalent in the Spring of 2025 and has resurfaced. The state agency stresses that it only sends text messages to remind residents about scheduled appointments with the commission. They DO NOT send text messages regarding driver’s licenses or vehicle registration status.
The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) is a motor vehicle commission, and if you receive communications that allege they are the NJ Department of Motor Vehicles or motor vehicle department, DO NOT click any external links and report the communication as spam. The NJMVC only sends text messages to remind residents about scheduled MVC appointments. It does not send text messages regarding driver’s licenses or vehicle registration status.
These messages claim that the user has an outstanding traffic ticket and payment is due. The URL displayed in the message includes “ezpassnj” and “.gov” to appear legitimate. The message itself does not allow the recipient to click the included link directly, but instead instructs them to reply to the message with “Y” and reopen the message. The message further instructs the recipient to click the provided link or to copy the URL to their web browser. These links redirect to fraudulent websites that seek to extract personally identifiable information, financial details, and/or account credentials – usually through a computer virus.
New Jersey E-ZPass DOES NOT send unsolicited text messages to collect payments. If your account is in collections and being handled by Credit Collection Services, you may receive text messages from Credit Collection Services regarding your account. Their text message will list a phone number, their website (www.ccspayment.com), and reference a file number.
Key actions to be reminded of:
Avoid clicking links, responding to, or acting on unsolicited text messages.
Visit official websites directly to determine if there is an issue with an account or outstanding bill.
Avoid submitting sensitive information, including financial or account details, to unverified websites.
To protect yourself and others from these scams, consider the following:
Block any phone numbers and report the text as junk/spam.
Forward the message via text message to 7-7-2-6 (SPAM).
Please call your local police department if you believe you were victimized. You can also report scams to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) https://www.ic3.gov or to the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC) https://www.cyber.nj.gov/report/incident-reporting/report-a-cybersecurity-incident.
For more information, please click on the link below: https://www.middlesexcountynj.gov/Home/Components/News/News/1828/736
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