ORLANDO, Fla. — There’s a new scam spreading across Florida.
Scammers are targeting residents with fraudulent text messages claiming they have unpaid parking tickets or toll violations.
These messages often include threats that the recipient is being summoned to court to pressure them into making immediate payments.
The warning comes as law enforcement and academic experts report a significant rise in text-based fraud.
A University of Virginia professor found that consumers lost nearly half a billion dollars to text message scams in 2024.
FBI agents said that spreading the word about these tactics is the best way to keep others from becoming victims.
They emphasized that residents will never receive a legitimate threatening text message regarding unpaid tolls.
Officials advise anyone who receives such a message to ignore it and report the scam to the police.
The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles office released a formal statement to address the rise in these fraudulent communications.
The office clarified that these messages do not originate from any state-run legal or motor vehicle departments.
“These communications are not issued by any Florida court, clerk’s office or state agency,” the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles office said.
The agency further noted that official government entities do not request payment through QR codes, third-party links or unverified online platforms.
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