An example of a text message scam is pictured. Photo courtesy of the New York State Division of Consumer Protection

The state Division of Consumer Protection and the Department of Motor Vehicles are warning New Yorkers of a text message phishing scheme.

Phishing texts are fraudulent messages designed to obtain data or sensitive personal information to be used to commit identity theft or trick the recipient into installing malicious software onto a computer or mobile device.

The illegitimate text messages reference the Secretary of State NY Drivers License Facility and tells recipients they are required to update their data for their current New York Drivers License. Anyone who received such a text message should delete it right away.

State officials said the following tips can help protect people’s identities:

¯ Exercise caution with all communications received, including those that appear to be from a trusted entity. Inspect the sender’s information to confirm the message was generated from a legitimate source.

¯ Keep an eye out for telltale signs of phishing – poor spelling or grammar, the use of threats and the URL not matching that of the legitimate site. If the message does not feel right, chances are it is not.

¯ Don’t click on links embedded in an unsolicited message from an unverified source.

¯ Don’t send personal information via text. Legitimate businesses will not ask users to send sensitive personal information through text message.

¯ Don’t post sensitive information online. The less information posted, the less data is made available to a cybercriminal for use in developing a potential attack or scams.

For more information on phishing scams, as well as steps to mitigate a phishing attempt, visit the NYS Office of Information Technology Services Phishing Awareness resources page at its.ny.gov/resources or the Division of Consumer Protection Phishing Scam Prevention Tips page at dos.ny.gov/identity-theft-prevention-and-mitigation-program.