Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office warns of DMV text scam

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents to be on high alert of a scam involving a fake text message pretending to be from the Department of Motor Vehicles.

According to the sheriff’s office, a local resident received a message claiming their driver’s license would be suspended unless they immediately paid a traffic violation fee. The message cited a bogus section of the U.S. Administrative Code and included a suspicious payment link.

Authorities say it’s all a scam.

The sheriff’s office says the DMV will not contact you through a random Outlook email address, ask you to ‘Reply Y’ to open a payment portal, or threaten to transfer you to a toll booth to pay a 35% service fee.

Officials urge anyone who receives a similar message to avoid clicking any links, refrain from replying, and report the message immediately. The sheriff’s office also encourages residents to call their office directly if they are ever uncertain about the legitimacy of a communication.