TYLER COUNTY – Imagine this scenario: you’re enjoying an evening at home, grilling some meat and relaxing when suddenly a text message purporting to be from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles informs you of a “pending traffic matter linked to your record.”
The message threatens suspension of your driver license and possible legal action to be initiated if you don’t pay up. Your mellow attitude is disrupted by this, and suddenly you start thinking to years’ prior. You paid that ticket when you were stopped for driving without a license, right? How about that ticket for speeding in Amarillo? You thought you’d paid that one off, but maybe not.
Suddenly, worry shifts your thought process over from a relaxing weekend to a mind full of worry and stress.
Unfortunately, these types of text messages are pretty common, and are also 100% fraudulent. Tyler County Sheriff Bryan Weatherford recently noted an uptick in these messages. “We are getting reports of text messages people are receiving in reference to unpaid fines,” Weatherford said. “This is a scam. Please do not send any money or scan a QR code,” he said.
Weatherford pointed out that some of the scammers are sending a link to a site, “txdmv.gbdc.life,” which is not a legitimate website. Many of the messages people have reported to him claim the City of Dallas is threatening to enforce legal action for supposed violations, through the DMV.
“The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles will not collect fines for the City of Dallas,” he said.
Some of the messages have included an official-looking document, complete with a QR code to “settle your unpaid balance,” and a number of threats for failing to pay off the ticket(s), including license suspension and referral to debt collectors.
