Pause, verify and report: NJ sheriff warns county residents of a new text scam

⚠ One NJ county warns of a new text scam

⚠The phony texts revolve around the NJMVC

⚠ Don't click on any links

A new wave of scam text messages has prompted the Hunterdon County sheriff and prosecutor to issue a warning to residents about it.

Sheriff Fred Brown and Prosecutor Renée Robeson are alerting the public to these fraudulent text messages claiming to be from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, requesting personal information or payment, and may include malicious links.

“These scammers are getting more sophisticated, but it’s important to remember that no legitimate DMV will ever ask for your personal information or payment through a text message,” Sheriff Brown said.

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He’s urging residents to be alert, report these texts, and never click on the links.

The big red flag in the scam is the use of “DMV.” In New Jersey, the agency has been officially renamed the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC). So, any message referring to the outdated name should be treated as suspicious, both the sheriff and the prosecutor’s offices said in a statement.

Robeson emphasized the importance of caution when receiving these unsolicited texts. “Bad actors often pose as trusted organizations to trick you into giving up personal information. When in doubt, contact the organization directly using a verified phone number or website,” she said.

If you get one of these texts, do not respond or click on any links in the message. Block the number. Then, report the message to the Federal Trade Commission or the FBI.

Brown said to do these three things if you receive one of these fake texts, "pause, verify, and report."

The NJMVC put out a warning to drivers about this new circulating text scam late last month, saying it has received multiple reports of scammers impersonating the DMV for Enforcement Penalties.

The texts claim drivers have unpaid traffic tickets, face fines, and have license and registration suspensions, and payment is of the utmost importance. If not, there will also be damage to their credit scores.

These are fake, the NJMVC said.

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