CLEVELAND — In the digital age, when the phone is an extension of our lives, scammers have found a new loophole to sow panic and drain bank accounts. Residents of Ohio, from Cleveland to Columbus, are becoming targets of a brazen SMS scam masquerading as official messages from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). These text messages threatening immediate suspension of driving privileges over fake fines are part of a nationwide wave of phishing attacks exploiting trust and fear. For a state where a car is not just transportation but a way of life, these scams cause not only financial harm but emotional distress.
“The message looked official,” — says Scott Rube, a 62-year-old resident of Akron who nearly became a victim of the scam. “They said my license would be revoked by the end of the week if I didn’t pay a $150 ‘fine’. I almost clicked on the link.” Fortunately, Rube noticed a strange error in the text — the sender called itself “Ohio Department of Vehicles,” whereas the official name of the agency is Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). This discrepancy, along with a suspicious foreign phone number, made him stop.
Anatomy of a Scam
The scam messages, which began flooding in June 2025, appear convincingly plausible. They claim that the recipient owes an unpaid traffic fine, citing a fabricated “Ohio State Administrative Code 15C-16.003.” The text states that non-payment by a certain date — often the next day — will result in license suspension, vehicle registration blocks, legal prosecution, or even credit score deterioration. The link in the message leads to a fake website mimicking the official BMV pages but intended to steal personal and financial data.
“It’s not just fraud, it’s a psychological attack,” — says Charlie Norman, Ohio BMV registrar. “They use fear and urgency to make people act without thinking.” Norman emphasizes that BMV never sends text messages demanding payments or requesting personal information. “If you receive such a message, delete it immediately and do not click on any links,” — he urged in a statement on June 9.[](https://www.10tv.com/article/money/consumer/ohio-bmv-scam-text-for-traffic-ticket/530-cc04f5a6-2bb2-4b6d-b3f6-80a8127f6b10)
This scam is not unique to Ohio. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), similar phishing SMS — known as “smishing” (a portmanteau of SMS and phishing) — have affected at least 14 states, including Illinois, New Jersey, Florida, and New York. In May 2025, vehicle departments nationwide reported a surge in such attacks, ranging from fake messages about unpaid tolls to fabricated fines for violations. In some cases, like in Georgia, scammers even create websites imitating official DMV portals using domains that look like “.gov.”[](https://www.foxnews.com/tech/massive-dmv-phishing-scam-tricks-drivers-fake-texts)[](https://dds.georgia.gov/fake-text-scams)
Victims and Consequences
For many victims, the consequences go far beyond lost money. In Cleveland, 47-year-old Emily Thornton lost $800 after entering her credit card details on a fake site, thinking she was paying a fine. “I panicked,” — she says. “They said my driver’s license would be blocked, and I wouldn’t be able to drive my kids to school.” Only after calling the BMV did she realize she had fallen for scammers. Her story is not unique: according to the FTC, in 2024 Americans lost more than $300 million due to text scams, with smishingFake DMV scams ranking among the top five most common.[](https://www.freep.com/story/money/personal-finance/susan-tompor/2025/06/04/michigan-dmv-toll-scam/84026233007/)
Older adults are especially vulnerable. “My parents received a similar message and almost paid,” — Rube recounts. “They’re not very tech-savvy and tend to believe anything that looks official.” Cybersecurity experts like Steve Grobman from McAfee warn that scammers purposefully target less tech-savvy individuals, using intimidation tactics to pressure swift action.[](https://www.axios.com/2025/06/10/four-common-text-scams-and-how-to-spot-them)
Fighting Back Against Scammers
Ohio BMV, together with local police and the FTC, is actively combating this scam. Residents are urged to report suspicious messages to the FTC website (reportfraud.ftc.gov) or the Better Business Bureau (BBB). In Stark County, the sheriff’s office also warned about a related phone scam where scammers impersonate sheriff’s office officials demanding payment for “missed jury duty” via gift cards.[](https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/stark-county/2025/06/10/stark-county-sheriff-warning-ohio-bmv-texting-scam-reported/84129123007/)
Insiders at the BMV report that the state is working with federal agencies to trace the sources of these messages, many originating from foreign servers. However, anonymity in the digital world complicates punishment. “We see these scammers using proxy servers and disposable numbers,” — says a source close to the investigation. “It’s a game of cat and mouse.”
Other states are taking similar measures. In Illinois, Secretary of State Alexander Jannulius clarified that their DMV only sends SMS for appointment reminders, and Florida has created a dedicated webpage informing about scams.[](https://time.com/7290315/dmv-scam-texts-multiple-states-how-to-avoid-falling-victim/)[](https://www.flhsmv.gov/safety-center/consumer-education/scam-alert/)
How to Protect Yourself
Experts recommend simple but effective steps for protection. First, never click on links in unexpected messages. Second, verify any claims by contacting the BMV through their official website (bmv.ohio.gov) or the phone number listed there. The FTC also advises avoiding payments via cryptocurrency, gift cards, or payment apps, as these are preferred methods of scammers.[](https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/state/2025/06/10/ohio-bmv-text-message-scam-agency-urges-caution-phishing-grift/84129477007/)
For those looking to reduce their risk, Grobman recommends using data removal services that limit scammers’ access to your contact info. “Your name and phone number are on dozens of data broker sites,” he explains. “The less your digital footprint, the less likely you are to become a target.”[](https://www.foxnews.com/tech/massive-dmv-phishing-scam-tricks-drivers-fake-texts)
Looking to the Future
The SMS scam is only the tip of the iceberg in an era where technology outpaces regulation. While Ohio and other states attempt to protect citizens, scammers are improving their methods, harnessing artificial intelligence to create even more convincing fake messages. For Rube, who now ignores all suspicious messages, the lesson is simple: “If it sounds too scary to be true, it probably isn’t.”
As long as Ohio drivers stay vigilant, one thing is clear: in the fight for digital security, vigilance is not just a choice, but a necessity. So check your phone, delete suspicious messages, and stay alert. Your wallet — and your rights — may depend on it.
