Illinois Officials Warn of Holiday Text Message Scams

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is warning residents about fraudulent text messages claiming they owe money for traffic violations or tolls. The scam messages often threaten suspension of vehicle registration or driving privileges and include links intended to steal personal information or money. The Secretary of State’s office only sends texts to remind customers about DMV appointments and does not contact people about license or registration issues. Residents are urged to ignore suspicious messages and report them to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.