As this holiday season nears its end, Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias issued a warning Tuesday about text scams.

Giannoulias urged Illinois residents to watch for fraudulent text messages that claim to be informing them they owe money for traffic violations or tolls.

Scam texts usually claim the recipient's vehicle registration or driving privileges could be suspended if they don't go to a link and pay right away. The messages are not real — they are phishing attempts that use fear in an attempt to trick the recipients into handing over their personal information or money. 

"Phishing scams continue to be a persistent threat, especially during the holiday season, with criminals repeatedly attempting to steal Illinoisans' personal information and hard-earned money," Giannoulias said in a news release. "These messages are designed to look legitimate, which is why it's important for residents to remember that our office will never contact them by text about license or registration issues. Ignoring and reporting these scams helps protect everyone."

 The Illinois Secretary of State's office does not send text messages about missed tolls, driver's license status, vehicular registration, or enforcement actions. It only sends texts as reminders for scheduled DMV appointments.

Any Illinois resident who receives a scam text should report it to the Federal Trade Commission.

The Secretary of State's office sends text messages only to remind customers about scheduled DMV appointments. It does not send texts related to driver's license status, vehicle registration issues or enforcement actions.

Illinoisans who receive scam messages are encouraged to report them to the Federal Trade Commission by visiting reportfraud.ftc.gov.