AARP has issued a warning about Real ID fraud as more Americans rush to get the enhanced licenses, which will be required after May 7 for boarding domestic flights or other purposes.
Most frauds will likely be phishing scams: Emails, texts, or calls that appear to be from a legitimate source, such as DMV or the federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to AARP. The messages will entice you to click on links so criminals can obtain your personal information or download malware onto your computer.
A fake DMV email or website, for example, might have a .com extension rather than .gov. In 2021, a supposed text from the Illinois DMV featured a phone number with a 315 area code — but that area code is for upstate New York, not Illinois. Also, Illinois doesn’t have a Department of Motor Vehicles. It has a Department of Driver Services and a Department of Vehicle Services. (Maine has a Bureau of Motor Vehicles.)
“We know anytime people are up against a deadline, they will try to find an expedited way to get the process done. And that’s when the scams pop up,” says Amy Nofziger, director of victim support for AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.
Motor vehicle departments will never ask for personal information online. To get a Real ID, you typically need to go to the bureau office, where you’ll present documents proving your age and identity, Social Security number and address. Agencies will never ask you to provide personal information by text or email.
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