SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Bay Area prosecutors are warning people of a scam involving fake traffic violation notices.
The notices may appear real, as if they came from a court, and are often sent through text or email, according to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.
The scam indicates that a person has a pending court hearing regarding a traffic violation and that they can avoid it by paying costs in advance. A QR code or hyperlink directing that person to a payment portal is often included in the violation notice, prosecutors said.
“It is imperative that recipients not click on any links in the message, change passwords if they do, and promptly contact law enforcement,” Santa Cruz District Attorney Jeff Rosell said in a joint statement with the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.
A copy of a fake traffic violation notice. (San Francisco District Attorney’s Office)
Prosecutors say courts will never send traffic notices through text or email. It is recommended that a person who receives a notice check with the court to confirm if it’s real.
“It is unfortunate that scammers choose to prey upon the fears of law-abiding people,” San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said. “If you receive a notice like this one, disregard it and report it to law enforcement.”
The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office asks that anyone who receives this scam report it to the agency at 628-652-4311 or send a copy of the notice to sfda.consumerfraud@sfgov.org. n