Kalispell Police Department Warns of Fraudulent DMV Text Message Scam
A scam that claims to be from the Montana Department of Motor Vehicles directs recipients to a fraudulent website designed to steal personal and financial information
By Maggie Dresser
The Kalispell Police Department has issued a scam warning regarding fraudulent Montana Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) messages that threaten enforcement actions unless unpaid traffic tickets are resolved.
Claiming to be a “Final Notice” from the DMV, the message states “Montana Department of Vehicles (DMV) Final Notice: Enforcement Penalties Begin on June 10 … If you do not complete payment by June 9, 2025, we will take the following actions … Pay Now: https://mdt-mt.gov-tuex.icu/portal”
The link directs users to a fraudulent website designed to steal personal and financial information.
Authorities say the Montana DMV does not send legal threats or payment demands via text message while government websites always end in “.gov” – not suspicious or obscure domains like “.icu.”
Officials remind residents to never click on links in unsolicited messages, especially those demanding immediate action or payment and to not reply to the message.
If the message is received, take a screenshot and report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
The text message scam has been reported in several other states, including Pennsylvania, Florida and New York and is an example of “smishing” – a social engineering attack that uses fake text messages to trick people into downloading malware, which shares sensitive information. The term “smishing” is a combination of short messaging service (SMS) – the technology behind text messages – and “phishing,” according to IBM.
Last year, a similar smishing scam targeted American drivers, which involved text messages from scammers claiming to be toll collection agencies for unpaid road tolls, which also contained a false link.