A new scam is flooding phones with fake traffic ticket texts. One Texas man received a threatening message warning of license suspension for a ticket in California, a state he hasn't lived in for nearly a decade.
The message, claiming to be from the California DMV, is a classic phishing attempt. Key red flags include: The sender's number has a +63 country code (Philippines). The greeting is impersonal, simply "Dear Driver." The link, 'ca.mnvtl.life/dmv', is not a legitimate government domain. The text creates urgency, threatening license suspension and late fees. Asking to reply with "Y" confirms your number is active for future scams.
Scammers rely on fear to bypass critical thinking. If you click the link, you may be taken to a fake payment page designed to steal credit card details or install malware.
To stay safe: Never click the link. Verify any citation directly with your state's DMV by typing the official website into your browser. Block and report the number. Enable spam filtering on your phone.