Richmond General District Court Scam Text

Details of the Scam

• The Message: Recipients receive a text including a fraudulent "official" letter claiming they have an outstanding parking violation or unpaid toll.
• The Demand: The letter often insists the recipient must appear in court (e.g., by 9:00 a.m. the following Tuesday) or pay a fine immediately via a QR code.
• False Urgency: Scammers use short deadlines and threats of arrest or further legal action to pressure victims into acting without thinking.

Red Flags

• Text Delivery: The Richmond General District Court Clerk’s Office does not send text messages regarding court dates, fines, or violations.
• Generic/Mismatched Names: Recent fraudulent letters have been signed by a fictitious "John Smith, Clerk of the Court" and sometimes even list the same name for both the judge and the clerk.
• Typos: Look for spelling errors like "commnitted" or "penaalty," which are common in these fake documents.
• Payment Methods: Real courts do not ask for payment via QR codes, gift cards, wire transfers, or apps like Venmo, PayPal, or Zelle.

What You Should Do

1. Do Not Respond: Do not click any links, scan QR codes, or provide personal or financial information.
2. Verify Directly: If you are concerned about a real violation, contact the Richmond General District Court Clerk's Office directly at (804) 646-6431.
3. Report the Incident: Call the Richmond Police Department at (804) 646-5100 to report the scam. You can also file a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) or the FTC.