Kootenai County warns residents about DMV text scam
Kootenai County officials say a fake DMV text is pushing residents to pay fast or face license suspension. The message is designed to steal personal and financial information.
Kootenai County law enforcement is warning residents about a text message scam that claims the DMV will suspend a driver’s license unless payment is made immediately. The messages are built to steal personal and financial information, and some versions also threaten unpaid traffic citations or vehicle-registration problems.
The scam works by creating urgency. The text often looks official enough to trigger a fast reaction, then pushes the recipient to click a link or reply before verifying the claim. Some messages say a license is at risk, a citation is overdue or a vehicle issue must be fixed right away, but the Idaho DMV does not send text messages for unpaid traffic citations. A Hailey Police Department post warned residents: “This is a SCAM. Do not reply, send money, provide personal information, or click links.”
Idaho Administrative Code 15C-16.003 does not exist, and that reference is commonly used in DMV-style scam texts to make the message look credible. Idaho transportation officials have also warned Idahoans about another wave of scam texts impersonating Idaho DMV and demanding payment for traffic violations.
Kootenai County has seen this playbook before. In January 2021, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office warned of scam calls in which people impersonated deputies and staff, falsely claimed residents had warrants or sought personal information from families. More recently, the sheriff’s office said it received a surge of scam calls seeking donations for Sheriff Robert Norris and the office.
Anyone who clicked the link should stop interacting with the message, delete it, block the number and report it to the Federal Trade Commission or the Internet Crime Complaint Center. If any payment or account information was entered, contact the bank or card issuer immediately and monitor the account for unauthorized charges. Residents should verify DMV-related issues only through official websites, published phone numbers or in-person service centers, not through a text that demands immediate action.
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