In a moment of weakness, I almost fell for it!

While playing cards with a group of friends yesterday, this text popped up in my Messages. As I quickly scanned the text, my mind focused on the threat of suspension of my driver’s license, revocation of my car registration, and legal proceedings. Evidently my expression showed puzzlement, and my friends asked what was troubling me. I began to read the text to them and as if one person they all exclaimed”Scam!”

“But,” I replied, “it’s got a State of Maine .gov heading. It looks real!”

“Scam!”

It took me a minute to get past the threats of losing my license and car registration to realize all of the red flags for a scam were there:

1.  A text instead of a letter.
2. A phone number with an out-of-state area code.
3. Threats.
4. Pressure to act immediately.
5. Incorrect title–Maine has a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), not a Bureau.
6. A link where I could use my credit card.

Plus, I have an EZ Pass and tolls are taken out of my account monthly.

At BoomerTECH Adventures, we have written extensively about scams. One would think I would not have been fooled for a moment. However, whether I was tired or my mind was elsewhere or I lapsed into gullibility, I was almost taken in by this scam.

I went online to double check and sure enough the Maine Secretary of State had listed a warning on the website.

So, please take heed of my momentary lapse of judgement and do not fall into the trap of scams that want your money and credit card number.

There are several red flags that can alert you to a scam (AI overview):

• Urgency and Pressure: Scammers create a false sense of emergency, threatening arrest, legal action, or account suspension to force quick, irrational decisions.
• Unusual Payment Methods: Requests to pay via gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or payment apps (e.g., Zelle, Venmo) are major red flags.
• Unexpected Contact & Verification Requests: Unsolicited calls, emails, or texts asking for passwords, PINs, or sensitive information.
• “Too Good to Be True” Offers: Promises of prizes from contests never entered, high-return investments with little risk, or large inheritances.
• Impersonation: Scammers pretend to be government officials, bank employees, or tech support, often using spoofed phone numbers or email addresses.
• Requests for Remote Access: Asking for control of your computer to “fix” a problem.
• Unsolicited Job Offers: Asking for upfront payments or to deposit checks for employment.

Here’s a blog post we published just last year on the topic of scams: https://www.boomertechadventures.com/resource/scams-2025-more-and-more-sophisticated/

And,  here’s a short video on email social media privacy.