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MURFREESBORO – Murfreesboro Police Chief David Griffith said on Tuesday, June 3 that the department had received a few reports from citizens about a text message scam going around.

Bertie Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin and Hertford County Sheriff Dexter Hayes also warned citizens in their respective counties of the same scam.

The text claimed to be from the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) as a “Final Notice” and threated enforcement penalties would begin on June 6 without payment.

As part of the scam, the text message claims that the person has an outstanding traffic ticket. If payment is not made, it states the following actions will be taken:

A report to the DMV violation database;

A suspension of vehicle registration starting June 6;

A suspension of driving privileges for 30 days;

A transfer to a toll booth and a 35 percent service fee charge;

And possible prosecution which can affect your credit score.

The text includes a link for payment which redirects to a phishing site meant to steal people’s personal information.

Chief Griffith urged people to not respond to these messages or click any links within them, and to always be vigilant with their digital identity.

“Once criminals gain access to secured data, they can access email, social media, bank accounts, credit, and you will spend months to years trying to recover,” Griffith explained. “I suggest always using strong passwords and different passwords for different sites, two-factor authentication, and never to click on any links that look suspicious or aren’t part of the norm.”

For more information, visit the Murfreesboro Police Department Facebook page.