A new text message scam posing as a government alert is targeting residents across Ontario, falsely claiming they have unpaid speeding tickets and threatening serious consequences if they do not pay immediately, police say.
According to a warning issued by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) on social media platform X, the fraudulent messages appear to come from Service Ontario and reference alleged speed camera violations. The text urges recipients to pay their fines by a specific date to avoid loss of demerit points, suspension of their driver’s license and vehicle registration, or even damage to their credit score.
In one example shared by police, the message reads: “Our system speed camera shows your radar ticket still hasn’t been paid, to avoid any loss of demerit points pay by August 7.”
The message includes several red flags: it mentions the “DMV,” a term used in the United States and not in Ontario; it contains poor grammar and awkward phrasing; and it directs users to a suspicious link that is not affiliated with any official Ontario government website.
“This is a scam,” the OPP stated plainly, urging residents to avoid clicking on any links, refrain from replying, and to delete the message immediately.
Police emphasized that legitimate government agencies in Ontario do not send text messages demanding payment or threatening legal action.
Anyone who has received the message is encouraged to report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, and to flag it as spam or junk in their messaging app.
“Help keep your friends and family safe,” the OPP said, reminding the public to remain vigilant as scammers continue to use increasingly convincing tactics to defraud Ontarians.