St. Cloud Police Warn of Scam Involving Fake Traffic Ticket Texts and Emails

(KNSI) – The St. Cloud Police Department is warning about a new scam demanding money for unpaid tickets.

Police say the front desk has taken many calls from concerned citizens in the last 24 hours regarding fake emails and texts from a phony “Minnesota Department of Motor Vehicles.” The fraudsters warn the potential victims that they have outstanding traffic tickets, parking tickets or penalties.

Authorities say it is a scam and don’t click on any link from a text message, and do not follow any instructions from the texts or emails. Police say to delete and ignore the message.

Officials say the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and the Minnesota Department of Vehicle Safety will never send a text asking for money. If anyone thinks they’ve been scammed, contact both the police and your bank and change passwords as soon as possible. The SCPD says they can help victims with any questions at 320-345-4444.

Red flags to watch out for when receiving texts, emails or calls:

Urgency in the message. You must pay within 24 hours or face consequences. Your account will be disabled if no response is received within 48 hours.

You were randomly contacted or contacted unusually. Law enforcement and court systems do not send text notifications about warrants, tickets or fines.

Secrecy. Often, the scammer will ask people to keep quiet so as not to be embarrassed by the situation.

Asks for personal information. It is a red flag when the message asks for personal or financial information. Only pay for goods or services through a trusted platform.

There is often a problem or prize. Either you won something and need to follow the link to claim it, or there is a problem, such as unpaid tickets, tolls, or subscriptions. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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