Drivers: Beware of speeding ticket scam!

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - Police in Montgomery County are investigating an elaborate speeding ticket scam.

Hackers are sending out emails pretending to be police in order to break into your computer and steal your information, according to officials.

Montgomery County Police have sent out a warning to drivers warning them of this scam. The emails say that you've been caught on a speed camera and that you've received a violation, in order to see that violation the email asks you to click on a link. Right there is where they get you. Do not click on the link; it is a trp. Police say that these hackers are using fear and confusion to get victims to fall for this scam.

You will know that the email is a scam because according to police they never send speed camera tickets via email.

"The Montgomery County police department does not issue automatic speed camera citations via email, it is only done by postal mail. Also if you do receive any correspondence from the Montgomery County police, you can always call us," Said Rebecca Innocenti with Montgomery County Police.

Think you have heard more about these scams, you probably have! This latest cyber-attack warning comes on the heels of two high profile incidents in and around the D.C. area in recent weeks.

First, it was the Hard Times Cafe restaurant in Montgomery County. The restaurant was hit with ransomware, its computer was held hostage by hackers demanding money to release the data they had grab. Since then the restaurant has reopened with a new computer system.

Shortly after the attack, the Medstar Health System suffered massive computer problems after a cyber attack infiltrated their computer system, leading to problems at the healthcare facilities across the region.

Director of the Cyber Security Program at Montgomery College, Frank Skinner, says the entire DMV region has become a major target for ransom-ware and cyber-attacks.

"This area is a pretty affluent area so if you're going to rob somebody you're probably going to go where the money is that's why they're coming to the DC Metropolitan Region because there have been a lot of opportunities to capitalize on the affluence of this area," Skinner explained.

The best defense against this latest attack is to not click on links you don't recognize. Police say, if you receive one of these emails, you can contact the police directly over the phone.