El Salvador authorities warn of traffic fine phishing scams

Authorities in El Salvador, including the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) and the Vice Ministry of Transport (VMT), have issued alerts regarding a phishing scam targeting citizens through fraudulent messages.

Cybercriminals are impersonating police and transit authorities via SMS, WhatsApp, and other platforms to notify individuals of alleged outstanding traffic fines. These messages often claim that a payment is due immediately to avoid additional charges or legal consequences, urging recipients to click on a provided link to consult or pay the fine.

Officials warn that these links lead to fraudulent websites designed to steal personal information, banking credentials, and credit card numbers. To verify the existence of any actual traffic violations, authorities advise the public to use only official channels, specifically the Sertracen platform, by manually entering vehicle or identification details rather than clicking on suspicious links.