Virginia Department Of Motor Vehicles Issues State Alert Regarding Fraudulent Traffic Citation Text Message Campaign

The Virginia DMV is alerting residents to a text scam demanding payment for fake traffic tickets. Officials say the agency never requests fines via text message.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 10, 2026, 9:28 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from WDBJ7

Phishing Campaign Targets Virginia Motorists With Fraudulent Fines

A surge in fraudulent communication has prompted the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a formal warning to residents across the Commonwealth. Motorists are reporting the receipt of deceptive text messages that allege the existence of outstanding traffic tickets and demand immediate payment to avoid further penalties. According to state officials, these messages often include high-pressure language and links to third-party websites designed to harvest sensitive financial data. The prevalence of these reports has led consumer protection advocates to classify this as a coordinated phishing effort intended to exploit the public's fear of legal consequences and licensing suspensions.

Official Communication Standards Do Not Include SMS Payments

In response to the growing number of victims, the DMV has reiterated its strict protocols regarding digital communication and financial transactions. Camila Barco, a spokesperson for the agency, emphasized that the Virginia DMV does not send text messages regarding fines, nor does it request credit card details via mobile platforms. According to Barco, any message demanding a specific dollar amount for a citation via text is an immediate red flag. The agency maintains that legitimate notifications regarding vehicle registration, license status, or official debts are handled through secure mail or through the department’s official web portal, where users must authenticate their identity before viewing account details.

Consumer Vigilance Advised Against Direct Interaction With Links

Security experts and state officials are urging residents to adopt a policy of total non-engagement when receiving suspicious digital requests. David Leite, a resident who recently encountered the scam, noted that the lack of recent interaction with the DMV was a primary indicator of the message's fraudulent nature. According to the DMV, the safest course of action is to ignore the text entirely or report it through official law enforcement channels. Residents are cautioned never to click on links provided in these messages, as they can lead to spoofed websites that mirror official government pages with alarming accuracy to deceive even tech-savvy users.