The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles is warning residents about a text message scam circulating across the state that falsely claims recipients owe money for unpaid toll fees.
According to officials, scammers are sending messages impersonating the State of Ohio and attempting to pressure individuals into making payments or providing personal information. The messages often include links or QR codes and may appear to contain official-looking documents, including what looks like a court notice related to a toll violation.
The BMV says the messages are fraudulent and are not connected to any legitimate state agency.
Officials emphasized that the State of Ohio, including the BMV, does not send text messages demanding payment or requesting sensitive personal information. Any message that directs recipients to click a link, scan a QR code, or immediately pay a fine should be treated as suspicious.
The scam messages may claim the recipient failed to pay a toll fee and could face penalties such as additional fines, court action, or collections if payment is not made. Some versions include documents that appear to reference Ohio law or court proceedings, but officials say these are fake and designed to create urgency.
Residents who receive one of these messages are advised not to respond, not to click any links, and not to scan any QR codes included in the message. The BMV recommends deleting the message immediately.
At this time, it is not known how many Ohio residents have been targeted or whether any financial losses have been reported in connection with the scam.
Officials are continuing to monitor the situation and are urging the public to remain cautious when receiving unsolicited messages claiming to be from government agencies.