Prosecutors in San Francisco and Santa Cruz counties are warning residents about what they describe as a nationwide scam involving fake court notices that demand payment for alleged traffic or toll violations.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins and Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeff Rosell issued a joint alert Wednesday, urging the public not to respond to messages that appear to come from a court. The scam notices are often sent by text message or email and may be titled “Notice of Hearing – Toll Violation” or “Notice of Hearing – Traffic Violation.”
Prosecutors said the messages claim the recipient has a pending court hearing and can avoid it by paying fees in advance. The notices may include a QR code or a link directing users to a payment site.
An example shared by authorities shows a document styled like an official court notice, labeled “State of California” and “Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco.” It includes a case number, a listed judge, a hearing date and time, and a courthouse address. The notice accuses the recipient of failing to pay an electronic toll and instructs them to either appear in court or resolve the matter by paying fines.
A QR code appears at the bottom, alongside an official-looking state seal and a clerk’s signature, giving the document a legitimate appearance.
Prosecutors emphasized that the notices are fraudulent. Courts do not send traffic violation notices by text or email, they said.
“If you receive a notice like this one, disregard it and report it to law enforcement,” Jenkins said, warning that scammers are targeting people by exploiting fear and confusion.
Rosell also warned recipients not to click on any links or scan QR codes included in such messages and advised anyone who has interacted with the scam to change their passwords and contact authorities.
Anyone who receives a suspicious notice is asked to verify directly with the court and avoid making any payments. Reports can be made to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office consumer protection unit at (628) 652-4311 or by emailing sfda.consumerfraud@sfgov.org.