Baton Rouge, LA – Louisiana residents are being urged to remain vigilant following a new wave of scam text messages falsely claiming to be from the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV). The messages allege that recipients have unpaid traffic citations and threaten steep penalties unless immediate payment is made.
According to a news release posted Thursday by the Louisiana State Police, the scam messages claim that enforcement penalties for unpaid citations will begin on July 27. The fraudulent texts provide a suspicious payment link and warn of severe consequences, including suspension of driver’s licenses and vehicle registration, transfer of debt to collections, and even court action.
Officials emphasize that these messages are not legitimate and should be ignored and deleted. The OMV does not send text messages or emails threatening prosecution or demanding payment for traffic violations. Any links in such messages are likely intended to steal personal information or charge unnecessary fees.
The Louisiana OMV and State Police have provided several safety tips for residents:
- Do not click links in unsolicited texts or emails from unknown sources.
- Do not share personal or payment information via text.
- Delete suspicious messages and report them to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
- Verify all communications and URLs before responding or submitting any information.
Anyone needing to address legitimate OMV services should visit the official website at expresslane.org.
State police encourage residents to share this warning with friends and family to prevent further victims. Questions or concerns can be directed to TFC Ryan Davis of the Louisiana State Police Public Affairs Section at (318) 345-2810 or ryan.davis@la.gov.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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