California texts and emails demanding payment for a traffic or toll ticket
California Attorney GeneralCalifornia
On March 30, 2026, California Attorney General Rob Bonta warned about fake court notices, often sent by text or email, that say you owe money for a traffic or toll violation. The message tells you to pay a fine or appear in court, or face other penalties. The attorney general said these notices are scams and that courts will not text, call, or email you to ask for money.
The instruction is to ignore the QR code, any link, and any payment page in the message, then check with the court that supposedly sent it. The office said courts also will not ask for a card or bank account by text or email, and will not text a link for paying a ticket.
Red flags
- A text or email says you owe a California traffic or toll fine and must pay or appear.
- The message includes a QR code or a link and a deadline.
- It asks for a credit card or bank account.
- The tone says you are already in trouble and must act immediately.
How to protect yourself
- Do not open the link, scan the code, or pay from the message.
- Check a ticket on your local court's traffic site, in the court's case portal, or by calling a number you trust.
- The attorney general pointed people to courts.ca.gov/find-my-court to locate the right court.
- Pay only on the official court website or in person at the courthouse.
If you are hit
- Delete the message after you have noted the sending number and any website, which the attorney general said to include in a complaint.
- File with the FBI at ic3.gov the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and the California Attorney General.
- If you clicked or paid, dispute unfamiliar charges with your card issuer or bank.
Questions
Is California texts and emails demanding payment for a traffic or toll ticket a scam?
On March 30, 2026, California Attorney General Rob Bonta warned about fake court notices, often sent by text or email, that say you owe money for a traffic or toll violation. The message tells you to pay a fine or appear in court, or face other penalties. The attorney general said these notices are scams and that courts will not text, call, or email you to ask for money. This page summarizes a public warning from California Attorney General dated March 30, 2026. The linked source is the record.
What should I do if I fell for it?
Delete the message after you have noted the sending number and any website, which the attorney general said to include in a complaint. File with the FBI at https://www.ic3.gov, the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov, and the California Attorney General. If you clicked or paid, dispute unfamiliar charges with your card issuer or bank.
Sources
- Pay Up, You're in Trouble: Attorney General Bonta Warns Californians of Court Notice ScamsCalifornia Attorney General
This summary is informational and not legal advice. If it and the linked source disagree, follow the source.
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