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.
