Hi Seal Beach,
The California Attorney General recently warned residents about a scam involving fake court notices. These notices often arrive by text or email and claim that the person owes money for a traffic ticket, toll violation, or other court-related matter.
The message may look official. It may include a case number, a warning about penalties, a link to pay, or a demand that you act immediately. That urgency is the point. Scammers want people to panic, click quickly, and pay before they have time to think.
Here is the most important thing to know: courts will not text, call, or email you to demand money. Courts will also not ask for your credit card or bank account information by text or email, and they will not send you a text message link to pay a ticket.
If you receive one of these messages, do not click the link. Do not scan the QR code. Do not provide personal information. Do not make a payment through the message. Instead, slow down and verify the information directly through the court using a trusted source.
That last part matters. Do not use the phone number or link provided in the suspicious message. Those may be controlled by the scammer. If you are concerned about a real traffic ticket or court notice, go directly to the court’s official website or contact the court through a verified phone number.
This is also a good reminder that scams are becoming more polished. A message does not have to be full of spelling errors or strange wording to be fake. Scammers can create very convincing notices that look like they came from a court, law enforcement agency, tolling agency, or government office.
If you accidentally clicked a link or provided information, take action quickly. Monitor your financial accounts, dispute unfamiliar charges, change passwords if needed, and consider reporting the scam. The sooner you act, the better chance you have of limiting the damage.
The rule is simple: when a message demands money, threatens consequences, and pressures you to act immediately, pause before you pay. A few minutes of verification can save you from a very expensive mistake.
For more information, visit the California Department of Justice at www.oag.ca.gov.
Keep your questions coming, Seal Beach! Email us at as*****@*********ca.gov today!