Massachusetts Department of Transportation Reminds Residents to Beware of Fraudulent Text Messages

MassDOT is warning people about scam text messages claiming you owe tolls, fines, or some made-up “final demand” tied to your license or registration.

The short version is simple. If you get a text telling you to pay MassDOT, the RMV, or EZDrive through a link in the message, it’s a scam.

MassDOT said its divisions “will never ask for payment at a link imbedded into a text message.” That includes the Registry of Motor Vehicles and EZDriveMA.

Registrar Colleen Ogilvie put it plainly: “If you receive a text message telling you to make a payment or that you need to act quickly, do not click the link.” She added, “The Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) will never ask for payment at a link in a text.”

That matters because the scam messages are getting more polished. According to MassDOT, some texts now use official-sounding lines like “Per order of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles” and “This document constitutes a formal final demand for payment.”

That’s the trick. Dress up the scam in enough bureaucratic language and hope people panic before they think.

Some of the messages also threaten license suspension, registration revocation, or referral to a collection agency. MassDOT says those texts are fraudulent and should be deleted immediately.

The agency said scammers have been targeting people in Massachusetts and other states, trying to get credit card numbers and other personal information by sending links to fake payment sites. Sometimes those websites are designed to look like official government pages.

Again, the rule here is not complicated. Don’t click the link.

If you need RMV services, use Mass.Gov/RMV. If you need to check tolls or an EZDrive account, use www.EZDriveMA.com.

MassDOT also made an important distinction about EZDrive alerts. EZDriveMA may send text messages to account holders about things like a low prepaid balance, an expired credit card on file, or a malfunctioning transponder. But those texts do not include payment links. They direct customers to the EZDriveMA Customer Service Center instead.

So if a text claims you must pay now and includes a link? That’s not customer service. That’s a shakedown with better spelling.

For Everett drivers, this is one of those annoyances that can turn expensive fast if you’re distracted, tired, or just trying to clear your phone after work. If a message says act now or lose your registration, that urgency is the whole point. Delete it. Then go to the real state website yourself if you want to check.