Seattle
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Screenshot: @WA_DOL/X
If you got a text this week from the "Washington Department of Motor Vehicles" about an unpaid ticket, it's a scam.
Why it matters: The latest round of fake messages threaten license suspensions and legal action to pressure people into paying bogus fines.
What they're saying: "They've been pretty widespread," DOL spokesperson Thomas Charlson told Axios.
Reality check: Washington has a Department of Licensing — not a DMV — and it never sends texts about fines, the agency said in a post on X.
What to do: Delete the message and report it as junk. Do not click any links, Charlson said.