The FBI has issued an urgent warning about a sophisticated text scam that has increased attacks on iPhone and Android users by a staggering 700% this month, with Chinese criminal gangs stealing millions from unsuspecting Americans.
Key Takeaways
- A widespread smishing campaign is targeting Americans with fake DMV text messages about unpaid tolls or traffic violations, threatening license revocation or jail time.
- The scam has exploded with a 700% increase in attacks on smartphone users this month, orchestrated by organized Chinese criminal gangs.
- Clicking links in these texts can install malware to steal personal information or payment details, with Americans already losing over $12 billion to fraud in 2024.
- Affected states include Tennessee, New York, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, and Washington, DC.
- The FBI advises immediately deleting suspicious texts, never clicking unknown links, and reporting incidents to their Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Massive Wave of DMV Scam Texts Sweeping the Nation
A dangerous new scam operation is flooding Americans’ phones with fake DMV text messages at an alarming rate. The FBI has identified a sophisticated smishing campaign (SMS phishing) that claims recipients owe unpaid tolls or traffic fines and threatens serious consequences like driving privilege revocation or even jail time if not addressed immediately. These messages create a false sense of urgency, pushing victims to click malicious links that can compromise their devices and steal sensitive information. The scam has become so widespread that in April alone, Americans received a staggering 19.2 billion spam texts, averaging 63 spam messages per person.
“These kinds of texts can put malware on your phone, which then can go in and steal information from your device, or collect your payment information,”explains FBI Tennessee’s Supervisory Special Agent David Palmer.
Chinese Criminal Operations Behind the Attacks
According to federal investigators, these attacks are not random or isolated incidents but part of a coordinated campaign by organized Chinese criminal gangs. These sophisticated operations use AI and algorithms to distribute messages through numerous phone numbers and domains, making them difficult to block or trace. The scammers can send up to 60 million texts per month, targeting vulnerable Americans across the country. Cybersecurity firm Guardio has warned that these texts lead victims to convincing phishing websites specifically designed to capture credit card information and make unauthorized charges.
“These scam texts lead to phishing websites designed to steal people’s credit card information and make unauthorized charges,”stated a representative for Guardio.
🚨 ALERT: Nationwide DMV Text Scam Targets Drivers
Scammers are impersonating DMV agencies across the U.S., sending fake text messages about unpaid traffic tickets or tolls. These messages threaten license suspension, fines, or credit score damage to pressure recipients into… pic.twitter.com/JrUm8DoaGH
— Tony Lane 🇺🇸 (@TonyLaneNV) May 31, 2025
States Under Attack and Financial Impact
The scam has primarily targeted residents in Tennessee, New York, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, and Washington, DC. In one notable example, a WREG investigator received a scam message purportedly from a “Tennessee Department of Vehicles” – an agency that doesn’t even exist. The financial impact of these scams is substantial, with the Federal Trade Commission reporting that Americans lost over $12 billion to fraud in 2024 alone, representing a $2 billion increase from the previous year. This alarming trend highlights how effective these scams have become at exploiting people’s fear and trust in government institutions.
“These scammers flood phones with texts, hoping to trick unsuspecting people into handing over their personal information. DMV will never send texts asking for sensitive details,”warned New York State DMV Commissioner Mark J. F. Schroeder .
How the Scam Works and Warning Signs
The scammers use fear and urgency as powerful psychological tools to short-circuit victims’ critical thinking. When people receive threatening messages about legal consequences or financial penalties, many panic and act quickly without considering whether the message is legitimate. The scammers also impersonate various government agencies, including law enforcement, to add credibility to their threats. Warning signs of these fraudulent texts include spelling and grammatical errors, messages from government agencies that typically don’t communicate via text, and slightly altered agency logos or names designed to appear authentic at first glance.
“Scammers always prey on people’s fears. They’re always opportunistic,”warns the FBI .”They try to ratchet up that sense of urgency so that you don’t think about what you’re doing and then you just send the money.”
Protecting Yourself from DMV Text Scams
The FBI has issued clear guidance for Americans to protect themselves from these increasingly sophisticated scams. First and foremost, never click on links in suspicious text messages, even if they appear to come from government agencies. Instead, if you’re concerned about any potential DMV issues, contact your state’s DMV directly through their official website or phone number. It’s also advisable to register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry, though this won’t stop determined scammers. Additionally, all suspicious texts should be reported to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center to help authorities track and combat these criminal operations.
“If you don’t know who it’s from, don’t click on the link,”advises FBI Supervisory Special Agent David Palmer.
