Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is warning motorists statewide about a surge in scam texts and phone calls impersonating the Secretary of State’s office. These fraudulent messages attempt to trick residents into paying money or sharing sensitive personal information.This week, scammers have escalated their tactics, sending new text threats and making phone calls claiming to be from the Secretary of State’s office. The messages allege that Illinoisans are delinquent in paying tolls and threaten penalty fees, suspension of driving privileges and vehicle registration, and even legal action.In response, Giannoulias has launched a statewide consumer protection campaign titled Don’t Click. It’s a Trick, urging Illinois residents not to click on any suspicious links. He emphasized that neither the Secretary of State’s office nor the DMV sends text messages requesting payment or threatening penalties.To help combat these scams, the Secretary of State’s office has created a new email for reporting suspicious messages: scamalert@ilsos.gov. Illinoisans are encouraged to take a screenshot of any scam text and email it to this address. The office is working with law enforcement agencies to identify and shut down fake websites used by scammers.
Officials remind the public that the Secretary of State’s office only sends text messages to remind customers about scheduled DMV appointments. It does not send texts or make calls regarding driver’s license status, vehicle registration issues, or enforcement actions.