If you’ve recently received a text message claiming to be from the Maryland State DMV (which is actually called the MVA-Motor Vehicle Administration), urging you to pay a toll fine or ticket immediately or face penalties… STOP. This is part of a widespread scam text campaign that’s been hitting phones across Maryland and beyond.
As someone who received one of these messages recently, I decided to dig deeper and what I found was alarming.
What Does the Scam Text Look Like?
The text usually reads something like:
“Final Notice: Your unpaid toll invoice is past due. Enforcement begins 6/5. Pay now to avoid penalties: [malicious link]”
Sometimes they add more aggressive wording like:
“Failure to act will result in license suspension and additional fees. MD DMV Case #L12-03493”
It looks official. It sounds scary. And that’s exactly the point.
Major Red Flags to Watch Out For
Here are a few things that immediately raised my suspicion:
- Maryland uses MVA, not DMV
That was the first hint. Maryland’s transportation agency is called the MVA (Motor Vehicle Administration), not the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles). So any message claiming to be from the “Maryland DMV” is already fishy. - The link is NOT a .gov domain
The text I received used a sketchy URL ending in.win. Others use.icu,.xyz, or other non-government extensions. If it’s not a.gov, don’t even think about clicking it. - It came from a foreign number
Mine had a +63 country code, the Philippines. Why would Maryland MVA be texting me from overseas? - Too urgent and threatening
Government agencies don’t threaten you over text. If you truly owe a toll or fee, you’d get a paper notice in the mail, or see it when you log into your official MVA account.
I Did Some Research: It’s a Smishing Scam
This is what’s called a smishing (SMS phishing) scam. The scammers are trying to get you to panic, click the link, and enter your personal or payment information.
Once you do, they’ll likely:
- Steal your credit card details
- Harvest your name, address, and license info
- Possibly install malware on your phone
It’s been happening across the country, but Maryland has been hit especially hard this summer.
What to Do If You Receive One of These Texts
Here’s what I did, and what you should do too:
- Do NOT click the link.
- Block the number.
- Report the scam text to:
- 7726 (your mobile carrier’s spam reporting line)
- Maryland’s Cybersecurity Unit
- ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- Check your actual MVA account for any notices (but use the real website: https://mva.maryland.gov)
- Warn friends and family, especially older folks who may be more trusting of official-sounding messages.
Conclusion
It’s easy to fall for these things, especially when they use fear, fake legal codes, and polished formatting to create urgency. But with scams like this, a healthy dose of skepticism can save you a major headache.
I’m thankful I didn’t click, but I could have. If even one person avoids the trap because of this post, that’s worth it.
Stay alert. Stay skeptical. And remember: the Maryland MVA will never threaten you via sketchy text.
Just like the Ncquickpassinvoice.com Scam, the Maryland State DMV “Final Notice” is a phishing attempt by scammers to get your personal and financial information.