Scam alerts

Get the latest information on text and email phishing scams affecting our customers.

You may have received an email or text message from these recent "phishing" scams involving licensed drivers. DO NOT CLICK ON ANY LINKS IN ANY MESSAGE. They are scams. Clicking on a link gives scammers information about you, which they can use to access your bank and credit cards, among other personal details.

screenshot of traffic ticket free scam text message describing how recipient must pay ticket now or have license suspended — *An example of a scam text message received by a DOL customer.*

Current scams to watch for

These are current scams we are aware of that could affect you as our customer:

Traffic ticket fee scam

An email or text claiming to be from the Washington State Department of Transportation or a “Department of Motor Vehicles” includes links to a fake website. The message urges people to pay a ticket now to avoid higher fees, legal action, and to prevent issues with their driver license.

REAL ID scam

An email or text claims you can skip DMV lines and get a REAL ID-compliant document quicker if you pay the sender of the message money or give them certain information.

The only way to get a new enhanced driver license, which is a REAL ID-compliant document, is to go to a driver licensing office. There is no phone number to call or money to pay to speed up the process.

GOOD 2 GO toll scam

A text message claims you have an unpaid toll. If you don't pay, you will receive more fines and legal action will be taken against you.

Washington's Department of Transportation (DOT) also does not send texts asking for payment. DOT also does not refer to us as the "DMV."

Reporting scam messages

If you think you have received a scam message, you can file a complaint with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center or with the Federal Trade Commission and report scam texts to their cell provider. Be sure to include the phone number or email address the message was sent from, and the website listed in the text of the message.

Common questions

I’m worried about my license status. What can I do?

If you’re concerned about the status of your driver license, you can set up a secure License Express account or call us at 360-902-3900.

How can I tell if this message is fake?

You can often identify a scam based on certain characteristics. The message could...

Contain misspellings and/or grammar or punctuation issues.
Mention an entity that does not exist – for example, “Washington Department of Motor Vehicles” or “Seattle DMV.” The only licensing authority for drivers and vehicles in Washington state is called the Department of Licensing (DOL). There is no DMV in this state.
Demand payment or directs you to update your information. We never send unsolicited texts or emails – and we would never ask you to pay through these channels anyway.
Include threats, such as suspension of your license, fines, legal action, or a lower credit score.
Have a short deadline to take action, such as the same or next day.
Claim you can skip lines or get a service (such as a REAL ID document) faster if you pay the sender money or provide information.
Claim you can receive a credit or refund if you perform an action, pay, or provide information.
Direct you to click on a suspicious link. Parts of the link might initially look legitimate (“dol” might appear somewhere, for example), but scrutiny of the full link suggests it’s fake. The official website for the Washington State Department of Licensing is dol.wa.gov.

We never send texts or emails with these characteristics. We also never ask for information outside of a secure account accessed by the customer without phone verification.

What do I do if I think a message is fake?

If you suspect an email or text is fake do not click any links in it. Flag fake messages as “spam.” This informs your phone or internet provider so they can take further action.

You can report the contact to the Federal Trade Commission.

What are we doing as an agency to curb these scams?

We are working to get the word out about how to detect a real email or text and encouraging anyone who receives a scam message to report it as a scam or phishing message through their email or phone provider and file a report with the Federal Trade Commission.

How did the scammers get my information?

We do not share contact information. The scammers are sending texts to people who do not live in Washington and some that do not own cars.

I accidentally completed a payment. Can DOL refund me?

Since this was a scam message using a fake website, we cannot refund you. We recommend that you contact your financial institution and report the scam.