Georgia officials warn of license suspension scams

by Anastassia Olmos, Bailey Williams

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Scammers are targeting Georgia drivers through fraudulent text messages claiming they owe money for unpaid traffic tickets and they could lose their license.

The texts claim to be from the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS), but that agency said it will never ask for payment through text in a fraud warning issued in April.

Some of the texts also threaten fines, credit score impacts, or vehicle registration suspension.

A member of Atlanta News First's investigative team received this text. The Georgia Department of Drivers Services is warning of a new scam.

Atlanta News First Investigates received one of these texts, which included a link to a website mimicking the real DDS page. Only one page worked on the website, which asked for credit cards and billing information.

“DDS employees will never contact customers to request payment or confidential information,” DDS Commissioner Angelique B. McClendon said. “Anyone receiving such messages should treat them as scams. Customers facing license suspension or other changes to their license status will receive official written notification from DDS. If you receive one of these or a similar text message, do not open or respond to it. Delete it immediately.”

How to protect yourself

Do not click on links in unsolicited text messages or emails claiming to be from DDS.
Verify your license status by checking your DDS Online Services account.
Never share personal or financial information through unverified links or messages.
To verify your driving record or check for any legitimate notices, you can use the official DDS Online Services by visiting their website and logging in.

What to do if you’ve been targeted

If you’ve clicked on a fraudulent link or provided personal information:

Immediately contact your bank or credit card provider to secure your accounts.
Monitor your credit report for unusual activity.
You can report scams and suspicious communications to the Federal Trade Commission. You can also report confirmed cases of identity theft to identiytheft.gov.

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