Milwaukee alderman warns of text scam pretending to be late ticket notice

A text message purporting to warn residents about an overdue parking ticket from the city of Milwaukee is a scam and should be removed, city officials warned Monday.

In a statement, Ald. Lamont Westmoreland said the scam appears to work by sending recipients a text message saying the ticket needs to be addressed to avoid late fees and asking them to click on a link.

He said clicking the link could leave the user’s phone vulnerable to malware or ransomware. Anyone who has provided credit or debit card information should immediately contact their financial institution to ensure their accounts can be protected, he said.

The text message includes the city’s logo and seal as well as a URL that includes “milwaukee.com,” according to a screenshot accompanying his statement.

The city does not send text messages about parking tickets, according to the Department of Public Works. Tickets will be received by registered mail only or will be physically placed on the vehicle.

The department urged residents not to click on the link or provide any personal information in response to the text messages. Anyone who may have been a victim of this scam is asked to report it to the Milwaukee Police Department.

Questions regarding parking tickets should be directed to the city at 414-344-0840.

“It is truly sad that scammers would use what appears to be a legitimate municipal source to run a scam like this, but it is not surprising,” Westmoreland said in the release.

(This story has been updated to add new information.)

Alison Dirr can be contacted at [email protected].

This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee alderman warns of text scam over parking tickets.