Minnesota Courts Are Warning Of A New Text-Based Scam Reported In The State

Minnesota's state court system recently put out an alert to residents about a scam that's been targeting Minnesotans.

In this scam, victims are being targeted via text message that claims that they have an unpaid traffic ticket.

As is common with many scams, the scammer creates a sense of urgency with a potential threat in order to encourage the victim to take action. In the case of this scam, the message claims you need to pay this unpaid violation fine as soon as possible or face being required to make a court appearance.

In the specific example that the Minnesota Judicial Branch shares, the outstanding traffic ticket is made to look like it is from the Hennepin County District Court and even uses the Minneapolis courthouse address in the message.

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Even for people who don't live in the Twin Cities, someone who lives elsewhere in Minnesota might think they somehow got a ticket on a trip to the Twin Cities that they were unaware of or had forgotten about.

This type of scam could also easily be replicated for other places around the state, more specifically targeting people in other regions in Minnesota.

In the warning from the Minnesota Judicial Branch, they reiterate the same types of advice you often hear with scams. First and foremost, they say that the Minnesota Judicial Branch or local law enforcement will never text or call someone to demand money for a traffic or parking fine.

If you receive a message like this, it should be seen as a sign that it is likely a scam.

In addition, they advise that you never click on any links in messages like this, never give out credit card information, make a payment, or share any personal information like social security numbers or other info.

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Finally, if you get a message you think may be a scam, the Minnesota Judicial Branch suggests you call your local law enforcement agency to report the suspected scam.

In addition, they say if you have fallen victim to this specific scam, the Minnesota Judicial Branch says you should file a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.