INDIANAPOLIS— If you received a text message this week claiming to be from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, you are not alone.
The text messages pertain to unresolved traffic violations and seek payment.
The texts also claim that if you do not pay, your driver’s license could be suspended for 30 days, your registration could be revoked, or you could face legal proceedings.
The messages are a new version of a scam.
Previous versions referred to the state agency as the “DMV” and referred to unpaid tolls.
“We want to make it clear that these messages are not from the Indiana BMV,” the BMV said in a statement. “The BMV does not send SMS text messages about outstanding penalties. In fact, the fees outlined in the messages are not ones that the agency actually collects.”
The Indiana BMV urges the public to:
- Ignore the messages
- Do not click any links
- Delete the message immediately
A new report released from the Identity Theft Resource Center reveals that significantly more people are suffering severe emotional distress as a result of identity crimes.
Among victims who contacted ITRC directly:
- 83% reported feeling worried or anxious
- 79% felt violated
- 75% felt vulnerable
- 73% felt angry
An ITRC survey asked identity crime victims if their experience had caused them to consider self-harm, and 68% answered yes.
The ITRC calls the number “staggering and heartbreaking.”
Experts say many victims may try to navigate their crisis alone or may feel the issue is not serious enough to warrant seeking out help.
“This isolation can amplify feelings of helplessness and being overwhelmed, making them more susceptible to the psychological weight of the identity misuse,” read the report.
The 2025 Consumer Impact Report also highlights that victims often face staggering financial losses.
More than 20% reported losses exceeding $100,000, and over 10% lost at least $1 million, according to the report.
“We have uncovered alarming trends in relation to the human costs of identity crimes,” said Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. “The findings in the 2025 Consumer Impact Report are not just data points. It is a signal that support is crucial for victims. It is a call for action for policymakers, financial institutions, technology companies and consumers. The people being harmed are real. Their pain is real. For them, we should respond with humanity and urgency and confront the crisis head-on.”
