Maine’s secretary of state is warning residents about widespread scam texts that misidentify the state’s motor vehicle agency, claiming to be from the “Maine Department of Motor Vehicles.”

The texts, received by many Mainers on Monday, claim the recipient owes the department money. They threaten that nonpayment will result in consequences, such as the suspension of their vehicle registration, and a link in the text brings the recipient to a fake website where they are asked for credit card information.

“This message is a scam and an attempt to steal credit card numbers and personal information,” said Secretary of State Shenna Bellows in a statement. “Anyone who receives the text should immediately delete it and report it as junk. If you did click the link and entered a credit card number, contact your financial institution immediately. If you were scammed out of any money, contact your local law enforcement.”

The telltale sign that the text is a scam is that it erroneously called the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles the Maine Department of Motor Vehicles.

The secretary of state’s office warns that government agencies will rarely contact individuals via unsolicited text messages. If you are unsure whether a correspondence is legitimate, the office suggests reaching out to the government entity directly by the phone number listed on its website.

Any correspondence that expresses urgency of payment is a red flag that indicates it’s likely a scam, the office says.

For more information on reporting fraud, go to reportfraud.ftc.gov.