CHEYENNE — You’ve heard of phishing scams, get ready for smishing scams as the Wyoming Department of Transportation is warning residents of fraudulent text messages from the “Wyoming DMV.”

WYDOT issued a warning about the scam text messages late Wednesday morning, saying residents have received text messages alleging the receiver has unpaid traffic fines and that failure to pay urgently could result in their license being suspended. WYDOT said the “smishing” scam aims to manipulate people into revealing personal and credit card information. The term is a portmanteau of “phishing” and SMS (Short Message Service) messaging technology that’s available on cell phones. 

WYDOT says it doesn’t send text messages seeking personal information and does not refer to itself as “the DMV.” Residents who receive this and similar messages are encouraged to avoid opening links contained in the message and giving away personal information. 

Those who receive this or any other scam text can report it to the Federal Trade Commission via the link on WYDOT’s scam alert website. 

For tips on how to avoid common scams, visit the Wyoming Attorney General’s Consumer Protection website. 

People with questions or concerns about the status of a Wyoming driver license can reach out to their local Driver Services office directly for accurate information. WYDOT’s only Driver Services websites are https://www.dot.state.wy.us/driverservices and mvds.onewyo.gov.

The Wyoming Department of Transportation is warning residents that text messages similar to the one on the left are fraudulent and a part of an attempt to scam people. WYDOT image.