You’ve heard the expression “the shot heard around the world.” This is a story about a scam heard around the world.
The victims are the Dallas Municipal Court, and also hundreds of people within the city — and even farther outside its borders— who are being tricked into paying false vehicle fines that never existed.
The scam is only a few days old. Fortunately, the Dallas Police Department quickly put out an alert. Police are asking victims to come forward and help them in an ongoing criminal investigation.
When I tried to call the municipal court, its main phone line was knocked out due to heavy incoming scam-related calls.
Watchdog Alert
First, The Watchdog will show you how the scheme works. Then I’ll show you several small clues in the one-sheet that show it to be a fraud. This is part of my ongoing exploration of how to determine fact from fiction.
The scam
‘NOTICE OF HEARING – TRAFFIC VIOLATION.’
The warning at top is either for nonpayment of a toll road fee, or a parking violation.
Your choices? Ask for a postponement of the hearing or end it by paying all money owed.
Failure to appear, it warns, could lead to greater fines and penalties.
The clues
The fake citation which arrives by text or by email (no money spent on delivery) looks very professional. That alone is enough for recipients to buy into this.
But spend a minute or two, and you’ll see a few items that keep this piece from getting an A+ at the scammers writing club.
The name “John Smith” is listed at both the top and the bottom. At the top he is named as the judge; at the bottom, he’s named as the “Clerk of the Courts.”
Unless you’re legendary Judge Roy Bean – Law West of the Pecos – nobody would be both clerk and judge.
Other versions of the citations list “Michael Rodriguez” as the judge.
No John Smith or Michael Rodiguez work at the real municipal courts.
Jasmine Bell, a customer service agent for the real courts, told me about another clue. But this one is so subtle nobody except a lawyer might know.
The case number shown starts with “TX.” But in reality, the case numbers start with other letters.
I’m not going to reveal letters. Why make it easier? Just know TX is incorrect.
Dallas police
Police warn not to click on the QR code or any links on the one pager.
In a posted statement, DPD warns, “Never provide payment or personal information unless you have verified the source. If you already made a payment, contact your bank or credit card immediately.
“The city of Dallas and Municipal Courts does not request payments via unsolicited text messages or QR codes. … If you receive one of these messages do not respond. Do not send money. Delete the message.”
This is today’s version of that shot heard around the world. But it doesn’t echo across a battlefield. It pings across phones.