Dallas Municipal Court Scam Text

About the Scam

• Traffic & Toll Ticket Texts: Fraudsters send messages claiming you have unpaid traffic or toll violations. These often include a link to a fake "payment portal" or a QR code.
• Jury Duty Threats: Scammers call or text identifying as court officials or police, claiming you missed jury duty and must pay a "fine" or "bond" via Bitcoin, gift cards, or wire transfer to avoid immediate arrest.
• Official Agency Impersonation: Texts may falsely appear to come from the Texas DMV (TxDMV) or TxDOT. Neither of these agencies issues traffic tickets or sends unsolicited texts for payment.
• Extortion by Impersonation: In some cases, scammers have posed as city employees, such as code compliance officers, to demand money through apps like CashApp or Zelle.

Red Flags

• Urgent Threats: Demands for payment within 12–24 hours to avoid license suspension or arrest.
• Nonsensical Language: Use of "big words" or odd phrases like "immutable credential endorsement" or "registration voidance".
• Unusual Payment Methods: Requests for payment through Bitcoin, wire transfers, prepaid debit cards, or gift cards.
• Generic Information: Notices that do not include your actual name, license plate number, or a specific violation date.
• Non-Official Links: Links that do not end in .gov or .com (e.g., txdmv.giotro.cc).

Received Text Scam

1. Do Not Click Links: Never click links or scan QR codes in unsolicited texts.
2. Verify Directly: Contact the Dallas Municipal Court through their official website or by calling a trusted number.
3. Report the Scam: Forward suspicious texts to SPAM (7726) and file a complaint with the FTC or the FBI’s IC3.
4. Ignore & Block: Delete the message and block the sender's number immediately.