Scam Alert: These Fake Ticket Texts Target Michigan Drivers

If you've gotten a text claiming you've got an unpaid ticket and your license is about to be suspended, congratulations — you've officially been targeted by one of Michigan's latest scam attempts. And no, the "State of Michigan Department of Vehicles" isn't real. It sounds official, but it's as fake as a Yooper tan in January.

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What the Scam Text Claims

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is warning residents to stay sharp as reports pile up of fraudulent text messages claiming drivers owe fines. These texts threaten license or registration suspension and urge victims to click a link to pay up, right before stealing their personal and financial information.

Let's be clear: Michigan's Secretary of State will never text you about tickets or suspending your license. They'll send mail, you know, paper in an official envelope on State of Michigan letterhead.

How to Spot Smishing in Michigan

These smishing (that's what phishing scams are called when they're sent as text messages) scams are easy to spot if you know what to look for. Watch out for texts that:

• Come from a long, weird-looking number
• Include links that look like a cat walked across the keyboard
• Use scare tactics like "Pay now or lose your license!"
• They are written like the author failed fourth-grade English

RELATED: FBI ALERT: Smishing, Vishing, and Spear Phishing Plots in Michigan

What to Do If You Get the Text

If you get one, delete it immediately. Don't click, don't reply, and don't share it with your Aunt Linda "just to check." Instead, report it by forwarding it to SPAM (7726) or the Michigan Attorney General's Consumer Protection Team. Scammers never sleep — but (hopefully) neither does Michigan's common sense.