Fannin County Sheriff Dane Kirby is warning residents of a new scam that seeks to steal money and driver’s license information. The Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) is echoing that warning.
The scam is being carried out through text messages that claim to come from the State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), which does not exist in Georgia.
A text message received by one Fannin County resident and released by the sheriff’s office stated, “Georgia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Final Notice. Enforcement penalties begin on May 29. Our records show that as of today, you still have an outstanding traffic ticket. In accordance with Georgia State Administrative code 15C-16.003, if you do not complete payment by May 28, 2025, we will take the following action...” Those actions include suspension of vehicle registration, suspension of driving privileges, a transfer to a “toll booth and charge a 35% service fee,” and possible prosecution. A link to a website if provided for payment.
The DDS warns the website may look very similar to the official DDS website, but it is not.
A statement from the DDS said that DDS employees do not contact customers to ask for payment or confidential information and anyone who receives one of these text messages should consider it a scam.
DDS customers can check the status of their license on the DDS website at the secure link https://dds.drives.ga.gov//
Kirby urges everyone to always be on the lookout for scam artists “trying to steal your money and personal information. The best defense is to hang up the phone when your called, and ignore and delete the text,” the sheriff said.