The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is reminding the public to ignore messages about traffic violations received via SMS or similar messaging platforms and dismiss these messages as fraudulent.
LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II issued a statement last Friday to clarify that these traffic violation messages are scams designed to steal personal information, including bank and e-wallet information.
He emphasized that the LTO does not communicate traffic violations through text messages or messaging apps. Anyone who receives such messages should ignore them, as they typically contain a link that directs recipients to a fake LTO website as part of a phishing scam.
The LTO has sought the assistance of law enforcement agencies, such as the Philippine National Police, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology to trace the origin of these messages and apprehend those responsible.
Mendoza has also instructed all LTO regional directors and district office heads to increase their efforts in educating the public about these scams. These efforts include disseminating information via their official social media accounts and incorporating lessons about these scams into their free theoretical driving course.
Similar to scams that hound TikTok and GCash users, these traffic violation messages are worded to prey on the fear and urgency of unwitting users so they fall victim into the scam. If you receive such messages, always look for red flags and verify the source to protect yourself against phishing attempts.
Source: PNA