Beware of scam texts impersonating Kentucky government agencies
You’ve likely seen or received a text message claiming to be from a Kentucky-based government agency urging you to take immediate action to pay a fine or toll.
It’s important to understand that legitimate government agencies will never send a text message demanding that the recipient pay a fine, that’s according to the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security.
The Kentucky Office of Homeland Security is warning Kentuckians to beware of the rise in DMV and toll road scam texts.
Scam texts typically include the following information:
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Government agencies requesting payments for fines or tolls via texts
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Texts containing a sense of urgency and suggesting penalties for unpaid fines
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An unknown number or URL asking the user to click on the link or copy and paste it into a browser.
These types of “toll road scam” texts continue to bombard smartphones and rose by roughly 900% in the first quarter of 2025.
Take these steps if you receive a toll road or DMV scam text:
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Do not click on the link, enter it into a search bar or try to access the link in any other way.
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Report the number to the Federal Trade Commission.
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Report the number to the FBI.
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Use the “Report Junk” function on your smartphone.
Remember, it’s best to never click on links sent by unfamiliar numbers to your smartphone.