Island County Commissioner Janet St. Clair (D-Camano Island) posted this to her Facebook page on 2026-02-07 09:15:33.
🚨 Scam Alert: “Final Notice” Texts 🚨
We’re seeing a spike in scam text messages claiming to be from the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) about unpaid traffic violations. The message looks official, sounds urgent, and includes a link telling you to “pay immediately.”
📵 Spoiler alert: It’s a scam.
Here’s how you can spot common text message scams like this one:
🔎 Red Flags to Watch For
• Urgent or threatening language
“Final notice,” “last warning,” or threats of license suspension = pressure tactic.
• Unexpected texts about money
Government agencies typically send notices by mail, not surprise texts.
• Suspicious links
Shortened or odd-looking web addresses (even if they include “wa” or “dol”) are a big red flag.
• Generic greetings
No name, no case number, no specific details? That’s intentional.
• Too much legal-sounding jargon
Scammers love tossing in RCWs, fees, and scary consequences to sound legit.
🛑 What You Should Do
• Don’t click the link
• Don’t reply
• Delete the message
• If you’re unsure, contact the agency directly using a phone number or website you look up yourself.
💡 Remember:
If the government really wants your attention, they’ll send a letter—not a sketchy text at 8:42 AM with a countdown clock.
Help us keep our community scam-smart 💪
Share this post with friends and family—especially those who might click first and panic later.
