WASHINGTON — D.C. is asking people to be wary of an email that says you have an overdue parking violation.
D.C.-area residents have received emails that have “Notice of Overdue Parking Violation(s)” in the subject line. In the email, it says the recipient has past-due fines and a late fee will be implemented. Also, it threatens that the vehicle could be impounded, said the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles.
The email sends people to another website.
DC DMV says it only contacts people via email if they have registered to receive them through the department’s ticket alert system. The email tells people to log on to their account for updates.
Also, notices of unpaid parking tickets are sent through the mail, along with information about how to contest the ticket.
The DMV offers other tips to determine whether a letter or email is a scam:
- The letter or email is from the “DC Parking Authority.” There is not an established “DC Parking Authority.”
- Correspondences issued from DC DMV will not have the tag line, “We Ticket, You Pay.” DC DMV does not issue tickets.
People who receive the email should report it to the Federal Trade Commission, which has detailed information for consumers on how to handle phishing scams.
