Text messages claiming that recipients owe money for unpaid tickets are fake, the California Highway Patrol says.
“Several people have reported getting suspicious texts from unknown numbers,” the highway patrol’s San Jose office said Tuesday on social media.
The messages claim the recipient has unpaid tickets and includes a payment link to avoid repercussions, the CHP said.
“The texts are fake and part of a phishing scam,” the CHP said. “Please do not click links or share any personal or financial information with unknown callers or texters.”
“CHP does not elicit payments via text message,” it said.
Anyone who gets a call or text from someone claiming to be from the highway patrol and asking for money should report it to local law enforcement immediately, the agency said.