The Superior Court of Los Angeles County warned people Thursday about an ongoing scam involving text messages falsely claiming recipients owe toll road fees or payments for traffic violations.
“Spam texts claiming toll and traffic violations requesting payment are not from the Court,” officials said in a statement.
The court “continues to receive reports of spam texts, often including a link or QR code for payment, that have been sent to the public informing them that they have a traffic ticket or toll violation that they must pay ….,” according to the statement. “The public is advised that these texts do not come from the Superior Court of Los Angeles County.”
Officials said the court never requests payment by text message and urged the public not to click on links, scan codes or provide personal or credit card information.
A Scam Alert page has been set up on the court’s website, where users can view examples of reported messages in a “Scam Library” and find information on how to avoid being victimized.
To verify a legitimate ticket or case, users can visit the court’s website at www.lacourt.ca.gov and select “Traffic Citations,” then search using a citation or driver’s license number. The public can also call the court’s Traffic Call Center at 213-633-6300 or check the issuing agency’s official website.