The city of Detroit is alerting motorists to a text messaging scam seeking payment for unpaid parking fines.
Although the text circulating is using graphics from the city’s Park Detroit app, it is not legitimate. Individuals who receive this message or others like it should disregard and delete it, the city noted in a Thursday statement.
The city stresses that any motorists with actual unpaid parking fees in Detroit would receive notice from the Municipal Parking Department via U.S. mail, not through text message. The message is being generated from a phone number with an area code outside Detroit and it lists a website similar to the city’s but not Detroit’s actual site, which is detroitmi.gov.
The City’s Department of Innovation and Technology also offered the following tips to avoid being scammed.
- Be skeptical: Question individuals who ask for money or attempt to sell you something, and verify their identity.
- Protect your personal information: Don’t share personal information, like your Social Security number, account numbers, or passwords, over the phone or the internet.
- Don’t click on links in suspicious emails: Links in suspicious emails may contain viruses that can contaminate your computer.
- Register with the National Do Not Call Registry: You can register by calling 1-888-382-1222 or visiting www.donotcall.gov.
- Block spam numbers: Block spam numbers on your phone and silence unknown or junk callers.
- Report scams: If you’re scammed or think you’ve seen a scam, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or by calling 877-382-4357.