Montana OCP Warns of Fake MVD Payment Text Scams

AG: Montana News

Published February 23rd, 2026

Detected March 18th, 2026

Summary

The Montana Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) is alerting residents to fraudulent text messages impersonating the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD). Scammers are using these fake texts to solicit payments for fines and tickets, threatening increased fees and registration suspension.

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What changed

The Montana Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) has issued a warning regarding a scam targeting residents through fraudulent text messages. These messages falsely claim to be from the Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) and demand payment for traffic tickets or toll road fees. The scammers employ urgent language, fake payment deadlines, and threats of increased fees or vehicle registration suspension to pressure recipients into divulging personal information or making payments.

Consumers are advised to be vigilant and verify any MVD communications directly with the division via phone or its official website, as the MVD does not request payments through text messages. Key red flags include texts originating from outside the U.S., poor grammar, and unusual phone numbers. Recipients should avoid clicking links in suspicious texts and report such scams to the OCP or local law enforcement. No specific compliance deadline is mentioned, as this is a consumer alert rather than a regulatory mandate.

What to do next

Educate consumers about MVD payment scam red flags
Advise consumers to verify MVD communications directly
Report suspicious messages to the Montana OCP

Source document (simplified)

Published On: February 23, 2026 Categories: Press Release HELENA – The Montana Department of Justice’s Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) is warning Montanans of fraudulent text messages from scammers claiming to be from the Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) and asking the recipients to pay fines or traffic tickets. MVD does not send texts asking for money for unpaid tickets or toll road fees.

To pressure recipients into providing their personal information and/or money, the scammers are sending urgent text messages with fake payment deadlines and, in some cases, threatening increased fees and suspension of vehicle registration. To stay vigilant, be on the lookout for texts that originate from a phone number outside the United States and claim to be from the Montana MVD.

Keep these tips in mind:

Verify Sources: The official Montana MVD does not request payments via text links. Contact the MVD directly at (406) 444-3933 or visit https://mvdmt.gov to confirm notices.
Avoid Links: Do not click or copy links from unknown texts; report them instead.
Recognize Red Flags: Watch for poor grammar, unfamiliar numbers (e.g., +63 country code), or threats of immediate action.
Report Suspicious Messages: Forward scams to your local law enforcement or the Montana Office of Consumer Protection. Montanans can report any phone, email, or mail scams to the Montana Department of Justice’s Office of Consumer Protection at [email protected], or 406-444-4500 (toll-free: 800-481-6896), or online at https://dojmt.gov/office-of-consumer-protection/.