Motorists in Lagos have been advised to verify traffic violations and vehicle-related bills through official government platforms following warnings over fraudulent messages and links targeting vehicle owners.
The Lagos State Ministry of Transportation issued the warning on Friday, urging motorists to be cautious of unsolicited text messages and other communications claiming that they had committed traffic offences.
According to the ministry, fraudsters may pose as government agencies and attempt to persuade motorists to disclose sensitive information or make payments through unofficial channels.
The advisory is particularly important for motorists who receive messages containing links directing them to websites purportedly meant for settling traffic fines or checking vehicle-related bills.
THE OFFICIAL CHANNELS
For traffic violations, motorists can use the Lagos State Traffic Management Solutions portal at tms.lagosstate.gov.ng to verify the status of a ticket.
The TMS platform allows users to search for traffic violations with their vehicle number and chassis number or the Violation Number displayed on the traffic ticket.
This provides motorists with a way to independently establish whether a reported traffic violation is recorded on the official system before taking any further action.
For vehicle-related bills and other relevant information, motorists can use the official PAYVIS platform at payvis.ng.
The platform allows users to search with their vehicle plate number or bill number, confirm relevant bills and, where applicable, make payments through the available payment channels.
BEWARE OF FAKE DISCOUNTS
The Ministry of Transportation also warned motorists about fraudulent platforms that may attempt to attract them by offering supposed reductions on traffic penalties.
The ministry stated that Lagos State does not offer discounts on traffic penalties and that official statutory fines are fixed.
Motorists should therefore treat messages promising discounted penalties with caution, particularly when such offers are accompanied by unfamiliar payment links.
HOW TO AVOID SCAMS
Rather than opening links contained in unsolicited SMS or WhatsApp messages, motorists are advised to manually enter the official TMS or PAYVIS website in their browser and conduct the relevant search themselves.
They should also avoid sharing personal, banking or other sensitive information with unverified platforms or making payments through third-party websites.
The ministry urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious messages or payment requests to the appropriate authorities.
For motorists requiring technical assistance with the TMS platform, the official portal lists tmssupport@lagosstate.gov.ng and 07000 TRAFFIC (07000 8723342) as support contacts.
The approved platforms for the services highlighted by the ministry are tms.lagosstate.gov.ng for traffic violations and payvis.ng for vehicle-related bills and related services.
The ministry’s warning means motorists who receive messages about alleged traffic offences can first verify the information independently through the official platforms before responding to the message or making any payment.
