The Georgia Department of Driver Services and the Georgia Department of Revenue are warning the public of an email scam that asks drivers to verify their driver’s license details or face license suspension. The e-mail, which claims to have been sent from the Department of Motor Vehicles, appears to be a common phishing scam designed to steal personal information from recipients. Information collected may be used by Internet criminals to commit identity theft.

“The Georgia Department of Revenue Motor Vehicles Division (MVD) employees do not contact customers to ask for personal or confidential information, such as driver's license or Social Security numbers via email, and anyone who receives such a communication should consider it is a scam to steal your identity,” said Department of Revenue Motor Vehicles Division Director Georgia Steele. “We want Georgians to protect themselves against these crimes by never providing personal information in email.”

"DDS does not ask customers to provide personal information through email,” added DDS Commissioner Rob Mikell. “Customers that do conduct business through the secure DDS website, www.dds.ga.gov will receive email confirmation from a secure email specifically from Department of Driver Services OnlineServices@dds.ga.gov after their service is complete.”

In addition, customers should beware of deceptive DMV websites that claim to provide information and services for Georgia drivers. The official state driver services website is www.dds.ga.gov(not .org or .com).

Phishing scammers use many and varied tactics to trick victims into handing over their personal or financial information. Georgians should be very cautious of any unsolicited emails that claim to be government departments, banks or companies that instruct them to follow a link or open an attachment to update or verify personal information.

Gov. Nathan Deal has designated October as Cyber Security Awareness Month in Georgia. For more information, go to gta.georgia.gov/cyber-security-awareness-main-page.