Texts demanding payment for speeding tickets are a scam, B.C. police warn

A person uses a cellphone in Ottawa on July 18, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Authorities are warning the public about a new scam involving text messages demanding payment for outstanding speeding tickets.

Kelowna RCMP said victims are often directed to a website where they’re asked to enter personal details, such as their name, birth date, driver’s licence number and banking information.

In a statement, Cpl. Allison Konsmo noted that law enforcement agencies “do not issue speeding tickets via text message.”

Drivers caught on automated enforcement cameras at intersections, either for speeding or running a light, are only served infractions “in person or in the mail to the registered owner” of the vehicle, Konsmo added.

Anyone who receives a scam text message should delete it and block the number, authorities said. It’s also important to avoid clicking any links or visiting any websites provided in the text.

“If you have already provided any personal information, contact your financial institution, report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and contact Equifax and TransUnion to have your identity monitored,” Kelowna RCMP said in a news release.

Incidents can also be reported to the Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300.