NEW JERSEY — The New Jersey Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC) has issued a warning about a widespread SMS phishing scam — known as “SMiShing” — that is impersonating the state Department of Motor Vehicles and E-ZPass.
Over the past week, NJCCIC said it has received several incident reports from New Jersey residents who received fraudulent text messages claiming they owe an outstanding traffic ticket. The messages threaten suspension of vehicle registration and driving privileges, increased toll charges, and damage to the recipient’s credit score if payment is not made by May 29.
The scam messages contain URLs with terms like “ezpassnj” and “.gov” to appear legitimate. However, instead of allowing direct clicks, the message instructs users to reply “Y” and then reopen the message or copy the link manually into a browser. The links lead to fraudulent websites designed to steal personally identifiable information, financial details, or login credentials, according to NJCCIC.
The agency noted this scheme resembles past SMiShing attempts that impersonated New Jersey toll services and E-ZPass, claiming users owed unpaid tolls.
Officials emphasized that the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) only sends text messages for scheduled appointment reminders. It does not text about driver’s licenses or registration issues. Similarly, New Jersey E-ZPass does not send unsolicited text messages seeking payment. In cases where accounts are in collections, messages may be sent by Credit Collection Services (CCS), but those will include a file number, CCS’s website (www.ccspayment.com), and a contact phone number.
The NJCCIC offers the following recommendations to residents:
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Avoid clicking on links or responding to unsolicited text messages.
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Go directly to official websites to verify account status or billing issues.
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Never submit sensitive information to unverified or suspicious websites.
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Report SMiShing attempts to the FTC, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), and NJCCIC.
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Forward suspicious messages to 7726 (SPAM).
Residents who suspect malicious cyber activity are encouraged to report it via the NJCCIC cyber incident form at cyber.nj.gov/report. Questions can be directed to njccic@cyber.nj.gov. Additional cybersecurity updates and resources are available at cyber.nj.gov.
