With the April 15 tax deadline just days away, officials are warning Georgia residents to be on high alert for scams targeting taxpayers during one of the busiest times of the year.
Georgia officials are warning residents to be on alert after a wave of scam text messages claiming to come from the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS).
The Internal Revenue Service has released its annual “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams for 2026, warning taxpayers to stay alert for schemes that could steal personal information, financial data, or tax refunds during the filing season.
The Georgia Department of Driver Services is warning residents about a phishing scam involving fake text messages that claim to be from state agencies. Officials say the messages may demand payment for tickets or threaten driver’s license suspension, but DDS says these texts are not legitimate and are designed to steal personal information. DDS officials stress they will never contact people by text message asking for payment or sensitive details, and residents should avoid clicking any links and instead verify license status directly at the official site: dds.drives.ga.gov.
Federal authorities are warning the public about a scam involving fraudsters impersonating federal law enforcement and prosecutors. According to the Department of Justice, scammers—possibly operating from outside the United States—are contacting Americans by text message, email, or phone call, falsely claiming the victim is a suspect in a fraud investigation in an attempt to pressure them into handing over money or sensitive information.
Officials say the scam often involves multiple contacts before the criminals begin requesting personal details such as credit card numbers, banking information, or other identifying data. FBI Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis said scammers rely on fear and intimidation, and warned that the FBI will pursue those involved.
The DOJ says these scammers may use convincing details—such as real-sounding titles, badge numbers, names, and addresses—and can even spoof phone numbers to make it appear calls are coming from legitimate government agencies. Authorities stress that federal agencies do not call and demand money or personal information over the phone, and anyone receiving these messages should not provide information and should report suspected scams.
An 82-year-old Lyerly woman has reported suspected financial card fraud after her bank advised her to file a report with the Summerville Police Department, highlighting a growing problem that law enforcement and consumer advocates say can strike anyone — but often targets seniors.
Summerville Police have taken a report after a local resident said his company fuel card was used to buy hundreds of gallons of fuel out of state.
Summerville Police are assisting Truist Bank in an investigation after bank officials reported that someone impersonated a local resident and withdrew a large amount of money.
According to an incident report, police received the call on November 26 regarding a theft allegation involving Truist Bank in Summerville. A representative from Truist’s criminal investigations department reported that an individual posed as one of the bank’s clients and withdrew $68,244.40 using a combination of checks and home equity line of credit (HELOC) withdrawals.
The report indicates that police coordinated with an on-call investigator and arranged for available information—including surveillance video—to be forwarded as the investigation continues.