Officials in New Mexico are warning residents about an increase in scam text messages and phone calls attempting to collect unpaid fines for traffic violations.
On Thursday, July 10, the New Mexico Department of Transportation issued a scam alert cautioning residents to “stay vigilant and protect your personal information.” In its alert, the department noted that it is not the state agency responsible for issuing traffic tickets or collecting associated fines.
“We do not send texts or make phone calls to collect fees and urge anyone that receives a message about an outstanding traffic ticket not provide any payment information,” the department said.
In May, the agency put out an alert warning residents about a text scam seeking to collect unpaid tolls. The scam was particularly suspect considering New Mexico does not have tolled roads.
If you receive a call or text, the department advises that you:
- Do not click on any links in suspicious text messages
- Do not answer unsolicited phone calls regarding traffic tickets or fees
- Block the sender or hang up and block the caller
Like agencies in many other states, the New Mexico DOT has been dealing with an influx in scam attempts for most of 2025 – with this week’s alert being the third to be issued by the department this year.
As individuals become more aware of the possibility of fraud, scammers have altered their approach to keep up. In May, the Utah Department of Transportation issued a similar warning, noting that fraudulent activity had increased “in intensity and volume, with scammers even verbally berating callers unwilling to give them personal information.”
Truckers can be particularly susceptible to these types of scam attempts, given the multiple states they often operate in. In addition to fraudulent attempts to collect tolls or fees for traffic violations, scammers also try to con drivers into paying to file certain federal forms such as the MCS-150.
This past October, the OOIDA Foundation put out an alert detailing a number of red flags that can tip you off to a scam email or text. LL
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