FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Contact: Emily Cook
207-441-0405

Secretary of State warns of phishing campaign via text 

AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows is warning Mainers to be suspicious of text messages they may have received from an entity claiming to be the “Secretary of State Drivers License Facility” which asks the recipient to click a link to “complete this verification.”

“The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles does not contact Mainers via text regarding their drivers licenses,” said Secretary Bellows. “Unfortunately there are bad actors out there attempting to trick well-intentioned people into exposing their personally identifiable information, or exposing their phones or computers to malware. I urge Mainers to be cautious when receiving any texts or emails like this, and if you have any suspicions about messages claiming to be from our office to always feel free to call and verify before opening or clicking links.”

The Secretary of State’s main office can be reached at 207-626-8400 and the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles can be reached at 207-624-9000.

Phishing campaigns via text, known as SMS phishing or “smishing,” are becoming increasingly common. Mainers should be wary of unexpected emails or texts asking for personal information, or instructions to click on links. The Maine Attorney General’s office has a helpful list of red flags to watch for in order to identify potential scams: https://www.maine.gov/ag/consumer/scams.shtml .