Peoria, IL – A fraudulent text message posing as a warning from the Illinois DMV is circulating statewide, prompting officials to urge residents to stay vigilant and avoid clicking suspicious links.
According to the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office, multiple residents have reported receiving deceptive messages claiming they have unpaid traffic tickets and face immediate enforcement actions if they do not pay by May 27. The text directs recipients to a fake payment portal using a web address mimicking a legitimate Illinois government site.
The message falsely states that penalties will begin May 28 and includes threats such as license suspension, registration revocation, and even prosecution. Victims are instructed to “report to the DMV violation database” and warned their credit score may be impacted.
Law enforcement warns that the Illinois DMV does not communicate such matters via unsolicited text messages and never demands immediate online payment through unofficial links.
The scam also claims to impose a 35% service fee and targets tollway users with fabricated threats of transfer to collection booths—an added layer intended to pressure victims into quick action.
Authorities advise the public to delete the message and report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Anyone with concerns about legitimate tickets should visit the official Illinois Secretary of State or Tollway websites directly.
Officials stress the importance of checking the validity of any message claiming to represent a government agency and encourage the community to spread awareness to protect vulnerable individuals.
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