PROVIDENCE, RI – Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea and Attorney General Peter F. Neronha are warning Rhode Islanders of a series of scam text messages that have been reported this weekend, claiming to be from the Rhode Island Department of State. The scam messages encourage Rhode Islanders to sign up for a "COVID-19 Safe Drive to Work" program.

This program does not exist, and these text messages are not from the Rhode Island Department of State. They are a scam. Anyone who receives these scam messages should not click any links or reply to the message. Instead, contact Attorney General Neronha's Consumer Protection Unit at 401-274-4400 or consumers@riag.ri.gov to report the scam.

The link in these scam text messages takes consumers to a web page that looks like an official Rhode Island Department of State page. Consumers should not provide any personal information on this page. Anyone who unsuspectingly provided personal information on this page should contact Attorney General Neronha's Consumer Protection Unit immediately at 401-274-4400 or consumers@riag.ri.gov.

###