(WXYZ) — Have you received a text about a so-called "safe driver refund?" If so, do not fall for it. It's a scam, and it's on the rise.
Watch Alicia Smith's full report in the video player below
Sonnie Hernandez of Dearborn notified us recently after she received the text. It read, "Hey Sonia, your safe driver refund is ready. Click to view details." But, she knew it was fishy.
"I kind of messed up my cousin's car just last summer, so how am I getting a good-driver refund?” she said to me.
"What went through your mind when you saw that text?" I asked.
"Absolutely scam," she said.
Hernandez did not click the link, so she did not share any personal or financial information with the scammers. She knows clicking on a malicious link could potentially upload malware to her device.
"How prevalent is this scam right now?" I asked Nakia Mills with the Better Business Bureau of Michigan.
So far, this seems like it might be one in the early stages," she said.
Mills said to be on the lookout for:
- unsolicited text messages
- offers that sound too good to be true
- a sense of urgency for you to respond
Remember, insurance companies are required to obtain your consent before sending marketing text messages.
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"If you do have a refund coming to you for your safe driver record, that's usually through either the government or your insurance?” I asked.
"Exactly. So again, like we said, your insurance company, the government, they're not going to, their initial outreach to let you know about this is not going to be a text message," Mills said.
"What would you tell people if they received one of these?" I asked Hernandez.
"Absolutely do not click on it," she said.
Call your insurance company directly if you think you might be due a refund of any kind related to your driving record.
But the text pictured above is a scam. If you receive one, report it to the BBB's Scam Tracker , and then delete the text.
This scam has also popped up in other states like Florida, but it is just starting to emerge in Michigan.
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