Scammers posing as State of Iowa officials have been targeting local drivers in an attempt to secure credit cards and other personal information.

According to the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, scammers have been claiming to be with the “Iowa Department of Vehicles,” a department which does not exist in the Hawkeye State. The scammers state that the recipient has outstanding traffic tickets or fees. They also link to a .com, rather than a .gov, website, to make the supposed late payment. Some of the texts claim to have charges from toll roads or toll bridges, none of which exist in the State of Iowa.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, scams take advantage of pressuring victims to act immediately, so not acting hastily is one of the first steps people should take to protect themselves from potential scams. 

The FTC says that a victim who gave a scammer their credit card information should cancel their card. For more information on what to do if you get scammed, visit consumer.ftc.gov.