Scammers Impersonate State Courts in US Text Scam Demanding $6.99 Fines

Scammers across the U.S. are sending text messages that impersonate state courts. The messages claim recipients have outstanding traffic violations and must scan an attached QR code to pay a $6.99 balance or face a court appearance.

The messages appear official and urgent but are entirely fake. This campaign has reached residents in New York, California, North Carolina, Illinois, Virginia, Texas, Connecticut and New Jersey.

Unlike last year's smishing scams from fake toll agencies that used direct links, these texts include an image resembling an official court notice. The image features formal language, headings and a QR code. Bleeping Computer shared an example claiming to be from the Criminal Court of the City of New York. It warned of an unpaid parking or toll violation entering the formal enforcement stage and demanded immediate payment to avoid an in-person court appearance. Real courts send notices by official mail, not unsolicited texts with QR codes.

Scanning the QR code leads to an intermediary page with a CAPTCHA, which filters out security researchers and automated scanners. After the CAPTCHA, users reach a site mimicking a state DMV or government agency. It shows an unpaid balance of $6.99. Entering payment details prompts a form requesting name, address, phone number, email and credit card information, all sent to scammers.

Fake New York DMV sites have used domains like ny.gov-skd[.]org and ny.ofkhv[.]life.

To avoid these scams, never scan QR codes from unknown senders. State agencies do not send texts requesting personal information or payments; legitimate fines arrive by mail.

Always visit your state's official .gov website directly by typing the address to check account status.

Use antivirus software to detect phishing sites and threats in texts.

If personal information was exposed, data removal services can request its deletion from broker databases.

Identity theft protection services monitor accounts and credit for suspicious activity.

If payment details were entered, contact your bank or card issuer immediately to dispute charges and get a new card. Check credit reports and place a fraud alert with a major bureau.

Report texts by forwarding to 7726 (SPAM) and filing with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov or your state's attorney general.