Court / Traffic Fine E-Summons Scam
A fake court summons or traffic ticket arrives by email or text with a link to 'view' or 'pay' — the page steals your details and money.
Think a message like this reached you? You can check it right now.
What this scam is
You receive an official-looking electronic summons or traffic citation telling you to click to view the charge or pay the fine before penalties increase. The attachment or link either installs malware or opens a fake payment page. Courts and police issue citations through mail and official portals, not surprise emails demanding immediate online payment.
What it usually looks like
- An 'e-summons' or 'traffic citation' email or text.
- A link or attachment to 'view the charge' or pay.
- Threats of extra penalties for delay.
- A sender or site that is not an official .gov court address.
Common warning signs
- Unexpected legal notices by email with pay links.
- Attachments you are urged to open quickly.
- The payment site is not an official government address.
- Pressure and rising 'penalties.'
Example wording scammers use
“Notice of Traffic Violation: Citation #48213 issued. View and pay within 48 hours to avoid additional penalties: court-esummons-pay.net”
“You have been served an electronic summons. Open the attached document to respond.”
These are illustrative examples written by ScamSplain, not real messages.
What the scammers want
- Your card details on a fake payment page.
- To install malware via an attachment.
- Personal data for identity theft.
What to do
- Do not open attachments or pay through the link.
- Verify any citation directly with the court or agency named, using official contacts.
- Delete the message and report it.
- Keep your device's security software updated.
What to do if you already responded
- Run a security scan if you opened an attachment.
- Call your card issuer if you paid.
- Report at reportfraud.ftc.gov.