The Isle of Man Constabulary has issued a warning to locals after a ‘scam’ text message was sent across the island on Tuesday afternoon.

The message indicated that the recipient had been caught speeding, specifically travelling at 40mph in a 25mph zone. The message also stated that the matter had been ‘long unresolved’.

It also read: ‘Please complete within 24 hours. Failure to do so will result in referral to the Isle of Man Attorney General’s Chambers, which will legally increase processing standards, lock vehicle registration and initiate enforcement proceedings.’

The message then included a link that the recipient could click on in order to deal with the issue.

However, the message was soon circulated on social media and residents were later assured by the police that the message was a scam.

The police urged locals to not respond, click any links or take any actions in response to the message. It was also advised to delete the message and report it to the Cyber Security Centre for the Isle of Man.

A spokesperson from the Constabulary commented: ‘We encourage you to share this information with anyone who may be more vulnerable to this type of scam.

‘Please take a moment to pass it on to friends, family members, or others who may be at higher risk. It is especially important to reach those who may not use social media and could otherwise miss this warning.

‘A quick phone call, text, or conversation can make all the difference in preventing someone from becoming a victim.’

To find out more about the Cyber Security Centre and to report a concern, you can visit https://csc.gov.im/cyber-concerns-online-reporting-form/