Kansas phones bombarded with scam texts

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Many Kansans are getting suspicious texts on their phones this year which are trying to scam them out of their hard-earned cash.

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is raising awareness this week about a scam that is continuing to target state residents with fake texts. Scammers are sending texts to mobile phone users with threats to revoke driver's licenses or enact penalties for not submitting toll or ticket payments on time.

"Please remember – KDOT does not collect money for tickets or tolls, and the agency does not send unsolicited texts," Cheryl Cadue with KDOT said in a press release on July 3. "Do not click or open any links within these scam texts and never provide personal or financial details by clicking unknown links. Clicking on these links could expose your information to scammers."

Some of the scam texts claim to be from the "Kansas Division of Vehicles." The scammers threaten legal action and collection fees if the phone user doesn't comply.

KDOT encourages people who've received one or more of these scam messages to make a report to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by clicking here or going to the Internet Crime Complaint Center by clicking here. People are encouraged to delete the scam texts they receive and report them as junk.

People who have sent in their payment information to a fraudulent website should get in touch with their credit card company or bank immediately. For more information on the scam and recommendations from KDOT, click here.

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