Court officials are warning the public about a fraudulent text-message scheme that claims recipients must pay fines for unpaid Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls.
The First Judicial District of Pennsylvania issued a fraud alert over the weekend after bogus messages began circulating that appear to summon recipients to a hearing in the Traffic Division of Philadelphia Municipal Court. The messages also include instructions to scan a QR code or follow a link to pay a fine.
Court officials say the messages are scams and should be ignored.
According to the alert, Philadelphia’s courts do not send text messages demanding payment or requesting personal financial information. Officials emphasized that legitimate court communications would not include requests for Social Security numbers, credit card details or other sensitive information through text messages or phone calls.
Authorities say the scam is an example of “smishing,” a form of phishing that uses SMS text messages to trick recipients into revealing personal or financial information. The messages often mimic government agencies or well-known institutions in order to appear legitimate.
In the current scheme, scammers falsely claim recipients owe money for Pennsylvania Turnpike toll violations and threaten legal consequences if payment is not made.
Officials warn that clicking on the links or scanning the QR codes in such messages could lead victims to fraudulent websites designed to collect banking or credit card information.
Anyone who receives the message is advised not to respond, click any links or provide personal details.
Instead, officials recommend reporting the incident to law enforcement or consumer protection authorities. Residents can contact local police, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection at 800-441-2555, or the Federal Trade Commission through its website at ftc.gov.
Text-message scams have become an increasingly common method used by criminals seeking to steal personal information or money. According to the Federal Trade Commission, American consumers reported losing about $470 million to text-message scams in 2024.
Scammers have repeatedly used transportation agencies and government offices as cover for such schemes. In recent years, residents in the Philadelphia region have received similar fraudulent messages claiming to be from the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the New Jersey Turnpike, the Philadelphia Police Department, local election offices and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.
Source: Phila. Inquirer