Fake "driver status" text threatening licence suspension
What happened
A Durham Region resident reported receiving this text at the end of August 2026 from an out-of-province number. Other residents said they had received the same message. This is the exact text, with the link altered so it cannot be tapped:
DRIVER STATUS NOTE: Effective 31-08-2026, your license is subject to revocation due to a expired traffic violation on your record. Intervene prior to this date to stop the suspension and circumvent legal steps. Review your ticket(s) here: https://g60[.]jp/BD REF: Q3949 |
Ontario does not suspend licences by text, and neither the Ministry of Transportation nor ServiceOntario sends links about tickets. This is the same family of scam as the fake ServiceOntario ticket texts already on this board, with a scarier angle: losing your licence. North Bay Police and two OPP detachments warned about these texts in 2025, and US motor vehicle agencies reported a fresh wave of the same template in early 2026.
The warning signs
- A government threat by text, with a deadline, from a number that is not a short code.
- A shortened link (in this case a ".jp" address) instead of an ontario.ca page.
- Odd wording such as "intervene prior to this date" and "circumvent legal steps". Real notices do not read like that.
- A "reference number" that is there only to make the message look official.
What to do
- Do not tap the link, and do not reply. Replying tells the sender the number is live.
- If you are worried about your licence, check it yourself: search for ServiceOntario in your browser and sign in there, or call them. Never use the link in the text.
- Report the text by forwarding it to 7726 (SPAM), then delete it.
- If you did tap the link and entered card or licence details, call your bank right away and tell them what happened, then report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Our scam recovery visit can check your phone and lock things down if you are unsure what was taken.
Sources
Reported by a Durham Region resident and shared with permission, August 2026. Other residents reported the same text. Names and numbers removed. Verified against the Ontario police warnings listed above. Seen this too? Report it.