Tennessee Department of Safety issues warning about scam texts
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security is warning drivers about fraudulent text messages claiming recipients have an unpaid traffic ticket and threatening to suspend their driving privileges.
Officials say the messages are part of a growing scam designed to trick people into providing personal information or sending money.
News 12 spoke with Russell Shoup about how drivers can recognize these scams and protect themselves.
Shoup explained that the department would never notify drivers about official actions through a text message.
Russell Shoup, Assistant Commissioner with the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, stated, “If you were to receive any kind of documentation related to a ticket, especially as it relates to your driver’s license and any action that we would be taking on your driver’s license, we would never send that through a text.”
The department says scammers often rely on urgency to pressure people into responding quickly.
Shoup explained that busy schedules can make it easier for someone to react without taking time to verify the message.
“We all have busy lives, and so it’s easy to get something and get concerned and respond to it. Just be careful about doing that.”
He expanded on how the department typically communicates with drivers if action is required.
“While we will attempt to make contact with you, it will not be through a phone call or a text message. Typically, you’re going to receive something in the mail from those agencies. Including the IRS, but specifically from our department, the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, it will be a letter if it’s an official action that you need to take.”
Officials encourage anyone who receives suspicious messages to report them so authorities can track and investigate the scams.
“There are two things to do. One is to report those. You can report that to a website, www.ic3.gov. You can also report it to the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office, and they have a website as well for reporting scams such as this.”
The Department of Safety says drivers should avoid clicking on links in suspicious messages and should verify any claims directly through official government websites.
Officials say taking a few moments to double-check a message could prevent falling victim to a scam and help protect others from similar schemes.
