State: Don’t fall for unpaid traffic ticket scams

Hawai‘i Department of Transportation reminds the public not to click on links in unsolicited text messages as several scam text messages have been making the rounds claiming to be from a “Hawai‘i Department of Motor Vehicles” regarding unpaid traffic violations or tolls.

• There is no “Hawai‘i Department of Motor Vehicles.”
• There are no toll roads in Hawai‘i.
• Citations for traffic violations are not sent via text message.
• Citations for running a red light and speed violations through the safety camera systems are sent via mail. A sample citation can be viewed here.
• If your citation doesn’t match, or requests payment through a website that is not Hawai‘i Judiciary or ViolationInfo.com, it is a scam.

If you clicked on the link in a scam text or entered financial information, Hawai‘i Department of Transportation recommends:

• Close the page immediately.
• Scan your device (i.e., whatever you opened the link on) for malware and ensure your antivirus and security tools are up to date.
• If you entered any information on the site, change your passwords and enable multifactor authentication.
• Monitor your bank and credit accounts.
• Report the scam at the Federal Trade Commission website.