Chinese criminal gangs have launched a massive 700% surge in text message scams targeting DMV customers across America, tricking thousands into paying fake fines and stealing their credit card information.
Key Takeaways
- The FBI warns of a sophisticated “smishing” scam impersonating state DMVs that has increased attacks on iPhone and Android users by 700% this month
- Scammers threaten victims with revoked driving privileges or jail time for unpaid tolls or fines, creating urgency that tricks people into clicking dangerous links
- The scam has spread to at least 8 states including Tennessee, New York, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, and Washington DC
- Clicking these links can install malware on phones or direct victims to phishing sites that steal credit card information for unauthorized charges
- These attacks are primarily orchestrated by organized Chinese criminal groups using AI and algorithms to send millions of fraudulent messages
Massive Wave of DMV Scam Texts Hits Smartphone Users
The FBI has issued an urgent warning about a widespread text message scam impersonating state Departments of Motor Vehicles that has resulted in a staggering 700% increase in attacks on iPhone and Android users this month alone. These fraudulent messages typically claim recipients owe unpaid tolls or fines and threaten serious consequences like license revocation or even jail time if immediate action isn’t taken. The scam has already affected at least eight states, including Tennessee, New York, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, and Washington, DC, with millions of Americans potentially targeted.
“These kinds of texts can put malware on your phone, which then can go in and steal information from your device, or collect your payment information,” said FBI Tennessee’s Supervisory Special Agent David Palmer.
The scam messages create a false sense of urgency to trick recipients into clicking malicious links without thinking critically. Once clicked, these links can install malware on smartphones or direct victims to sophisticated phishing websites designed to harvest personal and financial information. According to cybersecurity experts, these scams particularly target credit card details, which criminals use to make unauthorized charges. In some cases, victims are manipulated into adding stolen card numbers to their mobile wallets, facilitating further fraud.
Chinese Criminal Networks Behind the Attacks
According to cybersecurity investigators, these attacks aren’t random or isolated incidents but part of a coordinated campaign run by organized Chinese criminal networks. These sophisticated operations use artificial intelligence and advanced algorithms to generate and send up to 60 million fraudulent text messages monthly. The criminals sell SMS phishing kits on the dark web that provide all the tools needed to launch these attacks, including templates mimicking official government communications and automated systems to process stolen information.
“These scam texts lead to phishing websites designed to steal people’s credit card information and make unauthorized charges,” explained a representative for Guardio, a cybersecurity firm tracking the attacks.
The scale of these operations is alarming. In April alone, Americans received an estimated 19.2 billion spam texts, averaging 63 spam messages per person. This flood of fraudulent communications has contributed significantly to the $12 billion Americans lost to fraud in 2024 – a $2 billion increase from the previous year. While Google has announced plans to implement AI-powered scam detection technology, experts warn these measures may not be sufficient to combat the evolving tactics of these criminal enterprises.
How to Protect Yourself from DMV Text Scams
Government officials and cybersecurity experts emphasize that legitimate DMVs will never request sensitive personal information or payment details via text message. New York State DMV Commissioner Mark J. F. Schroeder stated clearly: “These scammers flood phones with texts, hoping to trick unsuspecting people into handing over their personal information. DMV will never send texts asking for sensitive details.” This fundamental rule applies to all state motor vehicle departments across the country and should be the first red flag when receiving such messages.
“Scammers always prey on people’s fears. They’re always opportunistic,” the FBI warned, adding that “They try to ratchet up that sense of urgency so that you don’t think about what you’re doing and then you just send the money.”
To protect yourself from these scams, experts recommend several precautions: never click on links in unexpected text messages; verify communications directly with your state’s DMV through official channels; register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry; report suspicious texts to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center; and be especially wary of messages containing spelling or grammatical errors, threatening language, or slightly altered agency names or logos. One investigator reported receiving a scam from a non-existent “Tennessee Department of Vehicles” – the state’s actual agency is called the “Department of Safety and Homeland Security.”
🚨 ALERT: Nationwide DMV Text Scam Targets Drivers
Scammers are impersonating DMV agencies across the U.S., sending fake text messages about unpaid traffic tickets or tolls. These messages threaten license suspension, fines, or credit score damage to pressure recipients into… pic.twitter.com/JrUm8DoaGH
— Tony Lane 🇺🇸 (@TonyLaneNV) May 31, 2025
The Growing Threat of Mobile Phone Scams
The DMV scam represents just one facet of a broader surge in mobile phone-based fraud targeting Americans. Beyond impersonating motor vehicle departments, these criminal networks also pose as other government agencies, including the FBI itself, demanding payments for fabricated fines or missed court appearances. The technical sophistication of these scams continues to increase, with attackers using numerous phone numbers and domain names to evade detection and blocking efforts by telecommunications companies and security software.
“If you don’t know who it’s from, don’t click on the link,” advised FBI Supervisory Special Agent David Palmer, providing perhaps the simplest yet most effective defense against these increasingly prevalent threats.
With Americans losing billions annually to fraud and the volume of scam messages continuing to climb, staying vigilant about unsolicited communications has never been more important. The FBI urges anyone who receives suspicious texts claiming to be from the DMV or other government agencies to delete them immediately and report the incident to law enforcement to help combat these organized criminal enterprises.
