The New York State Division of Consumer Protection and the Department of Motor Vehicles July 12, warned state residents about a text message phishing scheme. Phishing texts are messages designed to get someone to give up data or sensitive personal information that is then used to commit identity theft or to trick a person into installing malicious software onto a computer or phone. The text messages in question reference the Secretary of State NY Drivers License Facility and tell the recipient the details for their current driver's license need to be updated. Officials are telling people to delete these text messages immediately. To protect against phishing or smishing scams, officials recommend always knowing where communication is coming from, including those that appear to be from a trusted party. Keep an eye out for signs of phishing, such as poor spelling or grammar; the use of threats, and a URL that does not match a legitimate site. And never click on links embedded in an unsolicited message from an unverified source. Information is available at the NYS Office of Information Technology Services Phishing Awareness resources page or the Division of Consumer Protection Phishing Scam Prevention Tips page.