COLUMN: REAL ID deadline could bring out scammers

The deadline for having REAL ID identification is approaching in May, and that creates the sense of urgency that scammers love when they’re trying to dupe people. The new identity will be needed for boarding a domestic flight and entering certain federal properties, like military bases.

Acceptable Real ID identification can be an enhanced driver’s license or state ID card, and most New Mexicans already have one. If your driver’s license was issued after Nov. 14, 2016, you will see a gold star in the right corner.

That shows compliance with the enhanced identity, approved by Congress in 2005 as a way to establish minimum security standards. The deadline for getting a REAL ID is May 7. (Passports and other federal ID will still be acceptable as a form of identity for certain purposes.)

“We know any time people are up against a deadline, they (scammers) will try to find an expedited way to get the process done,” Amy Nofziger, a director of AARP’s Fraud Watch Network, said in a recent newsletter. “And that’s when the scams pop up.”

Be on the lookout for phishing emails, calls or texts that aim to impersonate an official from a state or federal agency. The message will include a warning about acting quickly to meet the May deadline, hoping to entice you to click on a link or attachment. Doing so can give fraudsters access to personal information or allow them to download malware onto your computer.

Nearly 80% of New Mexicans already have the required REAL ID, says Bobbie Marquez, spokeswoman for the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. If you are among those who comply, you do not need to do anything more. Even if you still need to take action, know that “our Motor Vehicle Division will not contact the public requesting that they get a REAL ID,” Marquez says.

For more information about getting the ID, go to realid.mvd.newmexico.gov/ People who get a phony text or email claiming to be from the state can contact the agency at Tax.Fraud@tax.nm.gov or 1-866-457-6789, Marquez says.

QR codes can lead to scams

This particular package of pasta was delivered with an unpleasant twist. The woman who received it reported to the Better Business Bureau recently that she thought the Amazon delivery was a gift. She felt no hesitation about scanning the QR code, which came with instructions on how to find out who sent the package or how to start a return.

After doing so, she was taken to a fake website that looked like it was Amazon but was not. She did not appear to lose any money, but was subsequently targeted by an unusual number of email scams. The BBB did not say where the woman was from, but said it has been receiving similar such complaints.

“It might seem like there are no downsides to a free package, but it could be a sign that someone is using your personal information for their own gain,” the BBB says.

QR codes are the matrix-like bar codes that a smartphone can scan for information about a product, a restaurant menu and a variety of other purposes. Scanning a bogus one is yet another action that could give scammers access to personal information. If you do fall for this, the BBB recommends checking the security of your accounts and contacting the company listed.

And here’s the good news: You do get to keep the item sent to you. The Federal Trade Commission says consumers have the right to keep unordered items.