Phishing scam: Wisconsin DMV warns consumers; do not share personal info

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MILWAUKEE - The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is warning of another phishing scam. 

Officials say scammers are texting and pretending to be from WisDOT to get individuals to click on fraudulent links or reveal personal information.

Phishing scam

What we know:

This recent wave warns of a "final notice" or of an unspecified "unpaid traffic violation." Some scams duplicate the look of official WisDOT content. These are not from WisDOT or DMV. 

What they're saying:

"We’re hearing from our DMV counterparts that Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia and New York were hit with this scam last week. Given the number of calls we’re getting from DMV customers, it’s likely Wisconsin is the next target," DMV Bureau of Driver Services Director Tina Braddy said. "We want to protect our residents, so we are quickly issuing this alert to ensure fewer fall victim to these scams."  

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Wisconsin DMV urges consumers to be on the lookout and follow these tips:

• Be suspicious of demands for money and urgency.
• Do not share personal information with unsolicited emails or messages.
• If you have not signed up to receive email or text messages from DMV and receive an unsolicited text message or email from an unknown number or person, do not respond, engage with the caller or click on links.
• Sign up for account activity alerts and renewal reminders by subscribing to Wisconsin DMV's eNotify. Like most bank accounts, you will receive confirmation of transactions on your account which alerts you to any fraudulent activities. Sign up for eNotify here: wisconsindmv.gov/enotify 

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If you are the victim of a scam, you may:

• Consider filing a police report with the local law enforcement agency where you reside.
• Report it to the Federal Trade Commission and/or the IC3 www.ic3.gov
• Speak to AARP’s Fraud Watch Helpline and find Fraud Victim Support Groups (all ages accepted)
• Request a free credit report and research identity theft prevention: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action

What you can do:

WisDOT is committed to protecting Wisconsin consumers. The full list of DMV services can be found online at wisconsindmv.gov.