FBI issues urgent warning to 150,000,000 US iPhone users to delete this text as soon as it appears

Over the past month, there has been a massive rise in scam attacks targeting smartphones, especially iPhones and Android devices. The increase is so extreme that reports say these kinds of attacks have jumped over 700%. Because of how serious the situation has become, the FBI has now issued a strong warning to all Americans, especially the 150 million people in the U.S. who use iPhones.

The FBI is urging people to be on high alert for a very specific type of text message that is currently being sent out by scammers. These texts look official and often appear to come from your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). They claim you owe a fine for something like an unpaid toll or parking violation and say that if you don’t pay immediately, your driver’s license could be suspended or you could even face jail time.

But none of it is real. These messages are completely fake and are part of a phishing scam — a method used by cybercriminals to trick people into revealing sensitive personal information like credit card numbers, social security details, or online account passwords. Once you click the link in the message, malware can be installed on your phone. That malware can quietly steal information from your device, including your financial details or access to your apps, emails, and even bank accounts.

FBI Special Agent David Palmer from Tennessee explained that the scam texts are dangerous because of what happens behind the scenes. The links are designed to infect your phone and steal your information without you even realizing it. He stressed that if you receive a text from someone you don’t know and it includes a link, you should never click it. Instead, you should delete the message right away.

Cybersecurity company Guardio has been tracking this situation closely and reported that during just the first week of June, there was a 773% spike in these types of DMV-related scam texts. The scammers behind these messages are becoming more sophisticated. The fake websites they link to are designed to look like real DMV or government sites. Once you land on one of those sites, they prompt you to enter payment information or verify your identity. That’s when they steal your data and can use it to make unauthorized purchases or commit identity theft.

Even DMV officials have stepped in to try to warn the public. Mark J. F. Schroeder, the DMV Commissioner, said that their agency would never contact people by text to ask for sensitive information or to make payments. The scammers are simply taking advantage of people’s trust in government institutions, flooding phones with alarming messages to pressure people into acting quickly without thinking it through.

This scam is not limited to one area — it has been reported in many states, including Tennessee, New York, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, and Washington D.C. The messages might vary slightly depending on the state, but they all follow the same basic pattern: a serious-sounding warning, a fake claim of unpaid fines, and a link that leads to trouble.

If someone receives one of these messages, the safest thing to do is to ignore it completely. Don’t open the message, don’t click any links, and don’t respond. Just delete it. If you’ve already interacted with the message or entered personal information, you should immediately change your passwords, monitor your financial accounts for suspicious activity, and consider placing fraud alerts or freezing your credit as a precaution.

People are also being asked to report these scams so that authorities can track them and try to stop them. The FBI recommends reporting any suspicious messages or related fraud to their Internet Crime Complaint Center, which can be found at [www.ic3.gov](http://www.ic3.gov). Reporting helps them build cases, trace the scammers, and possibly prevent others from becoming victims.

With how advanced these scams have become, it’s more important than ever to stay cautious. Just because a message looks official doesn’t mean it’s real. Taking a few moments to pause, think, and verify the source before clicking anything can save you a lot of stress and protect your private information. Sharing this warning with friends and family, especially those who might not be tech-savvy, can help keep others safe too.