Asked to pay a speed camera fine via text? It's a scam, city says
Got a text saying you blew through an Ottawa speed camera and now owe money? Don't reply to it, the city says.
That's because it's nothing more than a scam, the city said Saturday in a warning sent out via email and posted on social media.
"We've heard reports of suspicious text messages seeking payment to the City of Ottawa for speeding infractions," the city wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"Please know these are not legitimate and that the city will never contact you via text seeking payment."
In the warning sent via email, the city said that whenever anyone is caught by one of Ottawa's several dozen automated speed enforcement cameras, the ticket will be mailed out to the vehicle's registered plate owner.
Anyone who got a text message and shared personal information with the scammer should contact the police, the city said.
Speed cameras have been training their lenses on Ottawa's streets since 2020, but they became much more prominent last year when the camera network was vastly expanded.
As of December 2023, the cameras generated more than $650,000 in fines.
