Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias advises Illinoisans to be vigilant for fraudulent text messages claiming they owe money for traffic violations or tolls.

The scam texts typically claim the recipient’s vehicle registration or driving privileges are at risk of suspension and prompt immediate action through a link. The messages are phishing attempts designed to instill fear as a means of stealing money or personal information.

The SOS sends text messages only to remind customers about scheduled DMV appointments and does not send texts related to driver’s license status, vehicle registration issues, or enforcement actions.

If you receive such a scam message, you’re encourage to report it to the Federal Trade Commission by logging on to reportfraud.ftc.com.