Question: I am pretty sure this is a scam but my safety check just expired so I want to check. Plus I got an email not a text. It says to pay a fine for a “recorded violation” or I will lose my license. Is this real? I did not get a ticket in the regular mail, which is what I thought happens with the cameras. And the email doesn’t give much detail on the supposed infraction.
Answer: No, it’s a scam — an apparent example of a common tactic among scammers, who adapt their fraud attempts to fit whatever scenario might make people more likely to fall for the scam. Traffic enforcement using automated cameras is relatively new in Honolulu, and some scammers seem to be banking on the hope that their targets don’t know how this enforcement actually operates.
Traffic safety cameras at 10 Honolulu intersections generate tickets for red-light running and warnings for speeding (ticketing for speeding isn’t expected to begin until October). In either case, a detailed letter is sent by regular mail to the address of the vehicle’s registered owner, specifying the date, time, location and type of infraction, along with other information, according to the state Department of Transportation.
Expired safety check stickers are not enforced by the automated camera systems.
To read more about the traffic safety camera systems, go to 808ne.ws/4kSYvkb, on the DOT website.
Meanwhile, Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services continues to warn Oahu residents to beware of scam texts or emails falsely claiming to be from the DMV.
“Scammers are attempting to trick unsuspecting City and County of Honolulu residents into handing over their personal information and paying a fake ‘outstanding toll’ as well as threatening action for unpaid tickets,” the department says in an alert on its website, emphasizing that “the DMV does not, and will not, send customers unsolicited requests for payments and personal information.”
People who have received these scam texts and emails have been told falsely that their vehicle registration could be canceled, or they could lose their license, or that they may face prosecution. The scammers sometimes mention high fees accruing on a bogus toll booth charge, or threaten that unpaid fines will ruin the recipient’s credit rating.
The city says anyone who receives these scam texts or emails should “block the sender immediately and delete the message without responding to it.” Read more at honolulu.gov/csd.
Q: Has the Honolulu Zoo announced its Wednesday evening Wildest Show In Town summer music schedule yet? If so, I think I missed it. Always look forward to this family favorite summertime treat.
A: Yes, the popular outdoor concert series is scheduled to kick off June 11 with Jerry Santos and Kamuela Kimokeo, followed by five more Wednesday evenings of live music through July 23, featuring other local artists, according to the Honolulu Zoo Society.
The concerts will be held on the Great Lawn of the Honolulu Zoo in Waikiki, with pre-show activities starting at 4:30 p.m., followed by opening entertainment at 5 p.m. and the headliners taking the stage from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Buy tickets online or at the gate. Go to honoluluzoo.org for more information.
Mahalo
I would like to thank the public libraries for including people of all ages in the Summer Reading Challenge. As an adult who loves to read and always has, it’s still so fun to set goals to finish books no matter how busy I am. I encourage everyone to check it out! — Lifelong reader
(Editor’s note: The Hawai‘i State Public Library System’s Summer Reading Challenge, which welcomes readers of all ages, runs from June 1 to July 31. “This year’s theme, ‘E Heluhelu Kakou – Mele,’ invites you to feel the rhythm of reading through poetry, chants, and music. It’s a joyful tribute to the powerful sounds and stories that bring us together,” according to the HSPLS website. Challenge goals vary by age group. Rewards are available for all ages, and the grand prize drawing is open to all ages. Learn more at 808ne.ws/43KRCdw.)
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
