Sheriff’s Office Warns Residents of Rising Text Scams Targeting Motorists and Jurors
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is urging residents to remain vigilant as a surge in scam text messages continues to exploit fear and urgency to steal personal information and money. These deceptive messages often claim to be from government agencies and demand immediate payment for fabricated violations such as unpaid tolls, traffic tickets, missed jury duty, or active arrest warrants.
One alarming example involves a text falsely purporting to be from the “Florida Department of Motor Vehicles,” informing recipients of an unpaid traffic fine. The message includes a deadline and warns of serious consequences, such as suspended licenses or additional fees, if payment isn’t made immediately. Authorities confirm this is a scam.
The fraudulent messages typically contain several red flags, including:
A link requesting payment or personal information
An urgent tone designed to provoke panic
Threats of legal or financial penalties
Incorrect references to official agencies (e.g., using “Florida DMV” instead of the accurate Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles)
Law enforcement advises residents to never respond to unexpected messages with personal data or payments. If you receive a suspicious text or email, look up the legitimate contact information of the agency involved and reach out directly to verify the message.
For more information on scam prevention and to view a list of common fraud schemes, visit manateesheriff.com and click on the "Scam Prevention" icon on the homepage.
