Beware of Los Angeles Superior Court Traffic Violation Text Scams

The Superior Court of Los Angeles County and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have issued warnings to the public regarding an ongoing scam involving fraudulent messages about traffic tickets and toll violations. These communications, which arrive via text, email, and phone calls, falsely claim that recipients owe money to the court and demand immediate payment.

On March 26, 2026, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department notified the public that these fraudulent notices often appear official. According to the department, the messages may include specific court information, case numbers, or QR codes to create a sense of legitimacy while demanding immediate payment.

Characteristics of the Traffic Ticket Scams

The Superior Court of Los Angeles County reports that it continues to receive reports of spam texts sent to the public. These messages frequently inform the recipient that they have a traffic ticket or a toll violation that must be settled with the court. To facilitate payment, the scammers often include a link or a QR code within the message.

According to the California Courts Self Help Guide, messages used in these scams typically employ several tactics to deceive recipients. They may claim that a case is urgent or that a payment is late to pressure the individual into acting quickly. The scammers may use fake links designed to look like official government websites or pretend to be representatives from the court or the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Official Court Payment Policies

To help the public identify these frauds, the California Courts have clarified the specific actions the court will not take. The court states that it will never use the following methods for payment or information collection:

• Asking for payment via text message, phone call, or email.
• Requesting credit card or bank account information through text or email.
• Sending links to pay tickets via text message.

Any communication that requests financial information or immediate payment through these channels is identified as a scam.

Recommended Actions for Recipients

Authorities advise individuals who receive these suspicious messages to avoid interacting with the sender. The California Courts Self Help Guide provides a specific set of instructions for those targeted by these scams:

• Do not click on any links provided in the message.
• Do not reply to the message or attempt to call the sender back.
• Do not send money or provide any personal information.

Instead of responding, recipients are encouraged to take a screenshot of the fraudulent message for documentation purposes and then delete the message. The courts further recommend reporting the scam to the Federal Trade Commission.

How to Safely Verify Traffic Tickets

For those who are concerned they may actually have an outstanding traffic violation, the California Courts provide several secure methods for verification. To safely check the status of a ticket, individuals can use the following options:

• Visit the official traffic website of their local court.
• Log into the official traffic case portal provided by the court.
• Call the court directly using a trusted phone number.

The court emphasizes that payments should only be made in person at the courthouse or through the official court website.

Individuals who are uncertain whether a message they received is legitimate are encouraged to contact their local court directly or seek guidance from a lawyer or a legal aid group.