State issues warning on driver's license scams

By Robert Brodskyrobert.brodsky@newsday.com @BrodskyRobertJanuary 15, 2021

The state departments of Transportation and Motor Vehicles warned New Yorkers Thursday of ongoing text message phishing schemes in which con artists ask recipients to provide personal information to update their driver's license.

The fraudulent messages tells recipients that "this update is mandatory and must be done electronically. Kindly use the State Department of Transportation extension below to update and submit your information."

Another message instructs the driver's license holder to update their contact information to "match our new regulation."

The messages link to a non-listed URL address. The state agencies instruct anyone who received the text message to delete them immediately.

Phishing texts are used by scammers to obtain data or sensitive personal information that can be used to commit identity theft or to trick the recipient into installing malicious software onto a computer or mobile device.

To protect yourself against phishing scams, the state Office of Information Technology Services recommends:

* Exercising caution with all messages you receive, including those that appear to come from a trusted entity and to inspect the sender’s information to confirm it was generated from a legitimate source.

* Keep an eye out for obvious signs of phishing, such as poor spelling or grammar; personal threats and a web address that does not match the legitimate site. If the message does not feel right, chances are it is not.

* Don't click on links embedded in an unsolicited message from an unverified source or send personal information via text. Legitimate businesses do not ask users to send sensitive personal information through text messages.

* Avoid posting sensitive information online to prevent cybercriminal from using personal data in developing a potential attack or scam.

For more information on phishing scams visit the State Office of Information Technology Services Phishing Awareness resources page or the Division of Consumer Protection Phishing Scam Prevention Tips site.