"Final Notice" from the RMV? It's a fake.

One scam. One red flag. Two minutes to read.

Last month it was a fake Medicare call. This month, a text that nearly every driver in Massachusetts has gotten, including me. It looks official, it sounds urgent, and it's a fake.

The scam

A text claims to be from the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. It says you have an unpaid traffic ticket and threatens to suspend your license and registration unless you pay right away through a link. There is no ticket. The link leads to a fake payment page built to steal your card number.

What it looks like

From: +63 961 864 ••••

Department of Motor Vehicles (RMV) Final Notice: Enforcement Penalties Begin on June 23.

Our records show that as of today, you still have an outstanding traffic ticket. In accordance with Administrative Code 15C-16.003, if you do not complete payment by June 22, 2025, we will take the following actions:

1. Report to the RMV violation database
2. Suspend your vehicle registration starting June 23
3. Suspend driving privileges for 30 days
4. Transfer to a toll booth and charge a 35% service fee
5. You may be prosecuted and your credit score will be affected

Pay Now: mass.gov-oa[.]cc [link disabled]

Please pay immediately before enforcement to avoid license suspension and further legal disputes. (Reply Y and re-open this message to click the link, or copy it to your browser.)

A real text, word for word. Link disabled for your safety.

Four giveaways hiding in plain sight:

The phone number starts with +63. That's the Philippines. Our state government doesn't text from overseas.
Wrong name. Massachusetts has a Registry of Motor Vehicles, not a "Department of Motor Vehicles." Scammers send the same text to every state and don't bother to fix it.
Fake web address. It starts with "mass.gov" to fool you, but it ends in ".cc". Real state websites end in mass.gov, period.
"Reply Y" is a trick. Your iPhone blocks links from strangers. Replying unlocks the link and tells the scammer your number is real, so you get more scams.

The red flag

The RMV never texts you asking for money. Ever.

What to do

Don't tap the link. Don't reply, not even Y or STOP.
Forward the text to 7726 (it spells SPAM), then delete it.
Worried you really owe something? Type mass.gov/rmv into your browser yourself, or call the RMV. Never use the link or number in the text.

Stop. Hang Up. Call Back. Don't Click!

Close to home

This one keeps coming back. The RMV has publicly warned Massachusetts drivers about these "Final Notice" texts, and confirmed it only takes payments in person or on its official website. The Registrar's advice: delete the text, and warn your friends and family.

From your neighbors

This section is yours. Starting next month, I'll share a neighbor's close call here, first name only or anonymous.

Got something suspicious? Take a screenshot and send it to me at joe@yarmouthscamwatch.com. No judgment. Getting fooled happens to smart people. Talking about it is how we stop it.

Keep these by the phone

Yarmouth Police (non-emergency)

508-775-0445

Yarmouth Senior Services

508-394-7606

MA Attorney General Elder Hotline

888-243-5337

AARP Fraud Watch Helpline

877-908-3360

Already entered your card number? Call your bank first, right away. Then the police.

Pass it on. Every driver in Massachusetts is a target for this one. Share this with a friend, a neighbor, or your kids. Scammers count on people keeping quiet. Not signed up yet? Get it free by email.

Written by Joe Frio, a Yarmouth neighbor. I will never ask you for money, passwords, or personal information. If a message claiming to be from me does, it's a scam.

Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts · yarmouthscamwatch.com