Capitol News

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has issued a warning to residents about a scam involving fraudulent text messages. The messages claim to be from the "State of Michigan Department of Vehicles" and tell recipients they have an unpaid ticket that must be paid immediately to avoid penalties such as license or registration suspension, or legal action. The texts include a link to a fake payment site and ask for personal and financial information.

“These messages are scams,” Nessel said. “Michigan does not have a Department of Vehicles, and the Secretary of State does not send text messages threatening to suspend your license or registration. If you receive a text message like this, delete it, and do not click on any links.”

The Attorney General’s office noted several signs that may indicate a smishing attempt—a type of phishing conducted through text messages. These include unsolicited texts, unusually long phone numbers, shortened or scrambled links, urgent language such as threats of license suspension, grammatical errors, promises of rewards or prizes for responding, and requests for personal or financial details.

Officials advise consumers not to reply to suspicious texts or click on any links or attachments. Instead, they recommend using spam-blocking tools available on most mobile devices. Residents can report smishing attempts by forwarding the texts to SPAM (7726) and sending them to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, the FTC is currently closed but its online guidance page about what steps victims should take if scammed remains accessible.

Consumers seeking assistance from the Attorney General’s office can contact the Consumer Protection Team by mail at P.O. Box 30213 in Lansing, by phone at 517-335-7599 or toll-free at 877-765-8388, via fax at 517-241-3771, or through their online complaint form.