Scam Alert: Fake Speeding Ticket Messages Are Circulating in Lebanon

Got a text saying you have a traffic violation and need to pay a fine? Don’t click that link.

Scam text messages are currently targeting drivers in Lebanon, pretending to come from the Internal Security Forces. The messages claim that the recipient has committed a traffic violation (often for speeding) and provide a link asking them to pay the supposed fine. They come from a Gmail account as seen below.

If you enter the site, the portal may look surprisingly convincing, prompting you to enter your plate number and complete with a violation number, date and references to Lebanese traffic laws. But the payment links are fake and could be designed to steal your personal, banking or card information. The ISF has officially warned the public not to click these links or enter any information through them.

So, where should you check for real violations?

Go directly to the official portal on the Internal Security Forces website and check your traffic violations there. The official portal allows you to search for speed tickets using your vehicle information.

The safest rule: never use the link in the SMS. Open the ISF website yourself and check.