Illinois residents warned about IDOT text, email scams requesting personal info
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Illinois Department of Transportation is warning the public to be on the lookout for text and email scams asking for personal information.
Over the last several weeks, fake IDOT messages have been sent, attempting to defraud the public.
"If you receive a text or email that appears to be from IDOT asking for your personal information, you can be sure it's a scam," said Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman.
While the messages might look official, IDOT will never request personal information, such as Social Security numbers or banking information, via text or email, according to a statement from IDOT.
IDOT says if you receive such a message, delete it. Do not provide any information or click any links. Doing so could install malware on your device or computer.
To protect your personal information, take the following precautions:
- Delete unsolicited emails and texts requesting personal information or promising state driver’s licenses or IDs. Do not click on any links contained in such emails or texts, as they may place malware on your computer or devices.
- Hang up on any calls, including robocalls, that ask you to take immediate action or provide personally identifiable information.
- Ask to use other types of identifiers besides your Social Security number.
- Keep your software up to date, including operating systems and antivirus protection programs on your computer, phone and other devices. Most can be set to update automatically.
IDOT says Illinois residents should report the scam to the Illinois Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Hotline at (800) 386-5438 (Chicago), (800) 243-0618 (Springfield), (800) 243-0607 (Carbondale) or (866) 310-8398 (Spanish).