Police in Nevada, Washington, and other states are warning Americans about a fake parking fine scam that looks convincingly like an official court notice
Published on Apr 13, 2026 at 2:26 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Apr 13, 2026 at 2:26 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
This fake parking fine scam looks eerily close to an official court notice – so here’s what you need to know to keep yourself safe.
Police across the US are speaking out about this increasingly common scam, in which a notice is delivered by text message.
These messages threaten a whole host of penalties from license suspension to damaged credit.
As more and more citizens fall prey to this con trick, police forces across various states are sounding the alarm.
Don’t fall victim to this fake parking fine scam – here’s what you need to know
Nobody likes to get a parking fine, and absolutely nobody likes paying them either.
But if you’ve incurred some infraction, the right thing to do is to pay it, even if it’s just to make the problem go away, right?
Well, be wary – a parking fine scam is doing the rounds, and you don’t want to get sucked into this one.
Delivered by text message, it’ll come as an image attachment with a case number, a judge’s name, and a QR code, Carscoops reported.
And this is hardly a localized issue either – authorities across the country have been speaking out.
Washington State Attorney General issued a warning that anyone receiving such a message should not click on any links and should delete it from their device.
A similar message was issued in other states, from Nebraska to Kansas to California.
“If you receive a text or email asking you for payment or personal information, pause and assess the message – scammers will weaponize urgency and make you feel like you are in the wrong and need to act immediately,” California AG Rob Bonta said.
“Be suspicious of texts or emails asking you for personal information or money. No matter how official-looking they might seem, always double-check the status of traffic tickets directly with the court.”
There was similar advice from AG Todd Rokita from Indiana, who reminded citizens that legitimate government notices are delivered by US Mail.
SCAM ALERT 🚨
— AG Todd Rokita (@AGToddRokita) April 7, 2026
Many Hoosiers are receiving an alarming image that looks like a notice from the State of Indiana in the Marion County Superior Court Traffic Division. This "Final Notice – Court Enforcement Action" is a SCAM!
It falsely claims that you have an outstanding traffic… pic.twitter.com/GNaOGRVyx5
It’s important to stay vigilant in the world of cars
There’s a lot of money to be made with cars, so that unfortunately can attract some unscrupulous characters.
Earlier this year, an American man issued a warning after spotting a sticker over the card reader at a gas station.
Similar warnings were issued a few years back over the practice of ‘card skimming’.
And then there was the $100 bill scam, in which a fake note was left under a driver’s windshield wiper.
Ultimately, it pays to be vigilant in this day and age, so stay alert.
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Following stints at LadBible, The Sun, The New York Post, and the Daily Mail, Ben joined the team full-time in February 2025. In his role as Senior Content Writer, his sparkling copy, the ability to sniff out a good story at 100 paces, and a GSOH quickly led to him becoming an integral and invaluable member of the writing staff.
