DMV warns against unofficial websites

CRANSTON – After the recent appearance of several fake websites claiming to offer legitimate information and services, the R.I. Division of Motor Vehicles is urging state residents to make make certain they are using dmv.ri.gov.
Customers seeking to renew their driver’s license or registration should look for an “Official State of Rhode Island Website” designation at the bottom of any webpage that they use to make transactions. Some scam websites have recently gotten unwitting customers to release credit card information.
The DMV specifically highlighted that the official website ends in .gov, not .com or .org.
The department has been working to get the fake websites taken down, but it cautioned that it is not responsible for any third-party transactions and will not refund people who are tricked.
“It is extremely important that customers pay attention to where they are directed when using any internet search engine,” Anthony Silva, DMV administrator, said in prepared remarks.