Scam impersonating a court targets Kansans in multiple communities
TOPEKA—The Kansas judicial branch is raising awareness about a new scam that threatens court enforcement for an unpaid toll and encourages the person targeted to scan a QR code to make a payment.
The scam appears to be a message from the traffic division in a Kansas district court. It lists a fake case number and the name of a judge who does not exist.
If a traffic infraction exists on CaseSearch it will also generally show whether there are any unpaid fines or fees. The CaseSearch site links to the KSCourts Central Payment Center where payments can be made online.
Courts are encouraging the public to check the Spot the Scam webpage if they are contacted by someone who claims to be with a court. The page says to be alert for these signs that a contact they did not expect is a scam:
Scammer initiates contact. Scammers will call, text, or email you using phone numbers, email addresses, website links, and documents that look real but are fake.
Scammers ask for personal information. Never give a Social Security number, bank account details, or credit card information to someone you don’t contact on your own.
Scammers demand payment. Scammers will pressure you to pay now using gift cards or apps like PayPal, Venmo, or Cash App. They will tell you something bad will happen if you don’t pay now.
The page also gives guidance for reporting scams and a link to contact information for courts statewide.
