If you receive a scary text message with a payment link, it's likely a scam. Stay calm.

Texting scams are proliferating so rapidly that I received a fraudulent text just under 5 minutes ago. I was getting coffee to sip just before writing this very blog post. It was the third I personally received in two days. By the time I finished writing this blog, I had received two more texts about the same scam. I've placed two examples at the bottom of this blog post of language from the scam text messages I received.

Unfortunately, threats to a person's driver's license hit close to home for my clients.

It's no wonder my clients are contacting me in a panic. Many of them have pending cases involving the very real possibility of harm or loss to their driver's licenses. They are an especially vulnerable audience for unexpected threats that come directly to their smartphones. Unfortunately, they usually contact me thinking I totally dropped the ball on their case. I'm glad they feel like they can contact me like that, or I wouldn't be able to alleviate their fear.

More than one million Texans have traffic tickets they haven't addressed. For those Texans, a text like this can be especially effective. For those who haven't already hired an attorney for outstanding tickets, it would be an excellent idea to do so.

If you receive one of these fraudulent texts, your best course of action is to remain calm. How? Take a few deep breaths. It truly helps. Even the Mayo Clinic promotes deep breathing to relieve stress. Once you allow yourself some time, the initial fear is reduced, and you may start thinking more clearly.

Texting Scams Have Reached Epidemic Proportions

You probably got texts like these, as well. An estimated 19.2 BILLION were sent to Americans in June 2025 ALONE. That number is so huge, it's worthy of consideration.

I'll uncomplicate the math for you to illustrate how big the crime is. 1 billion = 1,000 million. So, if only one person in a group of 1,000 falls victim to the fraud, that's 1 million victims. If those people only pay $10 each, the crooks will get $10 million. Using the number of fake texts from June for a whole year at $10 per victim represents nearly a quarter of a billion dollars. That is a powerful incentive.

Why Do People Fall for Fraudulent Texts?

The scams work because fear is the ultimate motivator. Scared people do irrational, impulsive things, rather than stopping to think.

One of those irrational, impulsive things people do is click on a link in the very same text that scares them. DO NOT DO IT. That link will direct you to a fraudulent website, where you will typically find a method to make a payment. Some of those sites may also require you to share sensitive information. DO NOT DO IT.

Nothing Will Be Done About the Fraud

When you understand that text is just a fraud, you'll probably become upset or angry. Take a few more deep breaths. I hate to say it, but nothing is going to change, except maybe you.

The Texas DMV's written warning indicates that the agency is fully aware of the problem, but it offers little to no help. I had to search for the warning as if it were the proverbial needle in a haystack. They don't even bother to prominently address this fraud on their website, despite the overwhelming number of people affected.

I sent them a message to see what they'd say to an actual person sending an actual message and to urge them to put the warning on the agency's website home page. The response was automated. I never expected to hear from them again.

Here was their automated response:

"Thank you for contacting the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. It is our pleasure to assist you today.

TxDMV does not administer toll roads, issue traffic citations, or collect fees via text message. Any messages claiming unpaid fees or fines from TxDMV are fraudulent. You may report these messages to the FBI at www.ic3.gov.

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance. Have a wonderful day!

Sincerely,

Consumer Relations Division

Texas Department of Motor Vehicles

Email: AskDMV@TXDMV.gov Phone:512-465-3000 or 1-888-368-4689"

Great. That was as helpful as the waste of time it will be to register a complaint with the FBI.

Those complaints are so numerous that you can expect yours to never reach the eyes or ears of a living person. The FBI will do nothing more than generate statistics about the problem. Surely, law enforcement considers it the least of their priorities.

Ultimately, you must protect yourself.

FRAUDULENT TEXT EXAMPLE 1

"Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Final Compliance Reminder: After verification by the system, you have an unpaid traffic ticket. Suppose you fail to complete the payment before July 4, 2025. In that case, the ticket will be officially filed as a traffic violation record by the system, and the following consequences will occur: 1. Your current vehicle registration status will be suspended, making it impossible to conduct annual inspections, transfer ownership, and registration renewal operations. 2. Your Texas driver's license will be revoked or frozen, and continued driving will constitute an illegal act and may result in law enforcement penalties. 3. The record will be uploaded to the national DMV data platform, and other states may impose restrictions on your driving or vehicle registration qualifications based on this. 4. The system will automatically calculate late payment fees, administrative fees, and court enforcement fees, and the total bill will continue to rise. Please be sure to complete the payment before the deadline to ensure your legal driving qualifications and avoid additional legal liabilities. Reply Yes to revisit the processing page, or copy the following link to your browser to access." * Link intentionally removed for safety

FRAUDULENT TEXT EXAMPLE 2

"Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Final Notice: Enforcement Penalties Begin on July 2. Our records indicate that you currently have an unpaid traffic violation. Pursuant to Section 15C-16.003 of the Texas State Administrative Code, if payment is not received by July 2, 2025, the following enforcement actions will be taken: 1. Report to the DMV violation database 2. Suspend your vehicle registration starting July 3 3. Suspend driving privileges for 30 days 4. Transfer to a toll booth and charge a 35% service fee 5. You may be prosecuted and your credit score will be affected Pay Now: ***LINK REMOVED*** Please pay immediately before enforcement to avoid license suspension and further legal disputes. (Reply Y and re-open this message to click the link, or copy it to your browser."

Note: These are examples of fraudulent text messages. Never click links or provide personal information in response to such messages.