Beware! This Email Scam Is Hitting New York Again

DO NOT BE SCAMMED! There is an email scam making its way through New York State again and even the most aware New Yorker can be fooled.

Warning - If you receive an email with the subject line Traffic Citation it's most likely a scam! I received this exact email earlier this year and immediately contacted the New York State Police. This is what they had to say.

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I saw the email appear in my in-box and the subject line caught my attention, Department of Transportation Traffic Citation. My first reaction was disappointment and then I tried to remember doing something wrong. I can't recall doing anything ticket-worthy. What the heck did I do?

I read the email again and realized this is for an alleged running of a red light on Sunday March 17, 2024. Upon closer inspection, this email does not refer to a specific intersection, town or even a specific State.

As you can see in the image above there are 2 separate links attached to the email. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) this is a scam known as phishing.

Phishing is a scam designed for you to give up personal information. The email is created to look legit on a quick look. Often times the sender will encourage you to click a link like the ones above. Once you do you are sent to a spoofed website where you are asked to enter your credit card numbers, social security number, etc. DO NOT CLICK.