A sinister phishing scam is spreading across the US as five states warn that residents have been targeted by bogus messages from criminals impersonating official driving agencies

DMVs across the country are warning drivers of a new batch of fake, phishing text messages, designed to scam respondents out of their personal and financial information. The latest round of scam texts have been reported by departments of motor vehicles in at least three states: New York, Florida and California.

The New York State DMV and New Jersey authorities are warning about what they say is a new phishing scam via text.