NEW YORK STATE, USA — Did you recently receive a suspicious text from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles? It may have been a scam.
The DMV and the Niagara County Clerk are warning Western New Yorkers about ongoing phishing attacks. Text messages are being sent to New Yorkers telling them to update their contact information by using the provided link.
Anyone who receives a message like this should not click on the link and delete the text right away.
According to the DMV, phishing texts are used to obtain data or sensitive personal information, allowing scammers to commit identity theft or trick the recipient into installing malicious software onto their computer or phone.
The NYS Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) recommends following these precautions to protect yourself from phishing scams:
- Exercise caution with all communications you receive, including those that appear to be from a trusted entity.
- Inspect the sender’s information to confirm the message was generated from a legitimate source.
- Look for telltale signs of phishing, such as poor spelling or grammar, the use of threats, or the URL does not match that of the legitimate website. If the message does not feel right, chances are it is not.
- Don't click on links embedded in an unsolicited message from an unverified source.
- Don't send your personal information via text. Legitimate businesses will not ask users to send sensitive personal information through text message.
- Don't post sensitive information online.
For more information on phishing scams click here.
