Maui police alert public of recurring text scam

The Maui Police Department is alerting the public to a recurring scam circulating via text message that falsely claims recipients have unpaid traffic citations and appears to originate from the Hawaiʻi Department of Motor Vehicles. 

The scam message states that the recipient has a traffic ticket and threatens serious consequences if it is not processed immediately. The message claims that failure to act will result in:

• Entry of violation information into the state’s management system
• Invalid vehicle registration
• Suspension of the driver’s license for 30 days
• An additional 35% fine
• Legal proceedings and impact on the recipient’s credit score

The message then instructs recipients to visit “official channels” through a provided link.

Please remember that government agencies do not send unsolicited text messages or emails threatening immediate suspension, additional fines, or credit impacts with links demanding urgent payment.

If you receive a message such as this:

• Do not click on any links in the message.
• Do not provide personal or financial information.
• Do not send payment through the link.
• Delete the message immediately.

Anyone who may have clicked the link or provided personal or financial information is encouraged to contact their financial institution immediately, monitor their accounts for suspicious activity, and report it to the Maui Police Department at 808-244-6400.