Tennessee – The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security and the Tennessee Highway Patrol are alerting the public to a new scam involving fraudulent text messages claiming to be from the “Tennessee Department of Vehicles.”
The scam messages allege recipients owe traffic ticket fines and threaten suspension of vehicle registration and driving privileges if payment is not made. In some cases, the texts include links to a counterfeit website that mimics the official TDOSHS site.
Officials confirm that these messages are not legitimate and emphasize they are part of a broader scam aimed at defrauding Tennesseans. The scheme closely resembles recent toll-related scams and other phishing attempts circulating nationwide.
TDOSHS advises residents to take the following precautions:
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Do not trust unsolicited messages: The department does not send texts about overdue fines, payments, or license suspensions.
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Avoid clicking links or responding: Scammers design messages to create panic and prompt quick reactions.
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Use verified contact information: Always use official channels to verify claims—never rely on contact details from suspicious messages.
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Check the sender’s email address: Genuine Tennessee State Government emails end in “@tn.gov.”
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Report and delete: Use your phone’s “report junk” feature, block the sender, and delete the message. You can also report scams to the Federal Trade Commission.
Victims of this scam are urged to file a report at www.ic3.gov.