21 hours ago
California county officials warn drivers not to be ‘duped' by this new text scam popping up all across the US
When you're caught speeding, driving recklessly, running a red light or doing something else that violates traffic laws, there are hefty fines involved.
Typically, a police officer hands you a ticket on the spot or you get a notice in the mail. One way your citation won't be delivered? Via text message.
Unfortunately, con artists are taking advantage of people who don't know that.
I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast)
Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how
Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it
In Alameda County, California, numerous residents have been getting texts telling them they owe money on unpaid fines from traffic citations. It's all a scam.
"There is so much fraud that a lot of people cannot distinguish fraud from reality," Sandi Bethune, an Oakland resident, told ABC News.
Thankfully Oakland resident Moises Salazar didn't fall for the text he got citing a traffic violation.
'I read it and I understood it was fake,' he said.
Read more: You don't have to be a millionaire to gain access to . In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here's how
But he is among the growing number of citizens reporting the issue to Alameda County Court, which has since issued a public service announcement about the problem:
"... the Court does not contact the public through text messages to make payments for traffic citations. The public is cautioned not to provide financial or personal information if contacted via text or a phone call. The Court does not seek this information through texts or phone calls."
It added that anyone concerned about a traffic citation should first visit the court's website to confirm they owe money. They can do this by clicking on "Pay Your Traffic Ticket."
From there, residents can input their name and driver's license number to see if there are any outstanding fines. It's a good safety measure with the growth in such scams.
"We don't want people to get duped into giving out information that can lead to identity theft," Rosynsky told ABC News.
Unfortunately, these scams are not limited to Alameda County — they're happening across the country. (Another popular one? The fake unpaid toll violation.)
Never pay a 'delinquent' traffic ticket, parking ticket, or toll without verifying it first. Be especially suspicious if you're asked to pay your fine by wire transfer or another unconventional method.
Here are some more tips to protect yourself and others from such scams:
Beware of any text citing a traffic violation or unpaid toll. Tip-offs that the texts are fake:
The violation is dubious — for example, it says you owe money for parking illegally on Whitehead Street, but you've never been to Whitehead Street.
The text comes from an international number or may have been sent to multiple numbers at once.
The message says 'dear customer' or 'dear resident' and doesn't use your actual name.
If you receive a text of this nature, contact your local county court for more information, or to at least report the scam. You can also try contacting your local Department of Motor Vehicles.
You can also report the scam to the U.S. Department of Transportation at (800) 424-9071 or hotline@ The Internet Crime Complaint Center is another place you can report scams of this nature.
This tiny hot Costco item has skyrocketed 74% in price in under 2 years — but now the retail giant is restricting purchases. Here's how to buy the coveted asset in bulk
Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now
Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead
Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free.
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
