By COLlive reporter
Multiple residents of Crown Heights have reached out to COLlive this week after receiving suspicious text messages claiming to be official notices from the State of New York Criminal Court regarding unpaid parking or toll violations.
The messages, which include a QR code for “immediate payment” and a court hearing date, are being reported as part of a growing scam targeting the community.
According to one resident, “I got the text and immediately realized it was fake. The design looked strange, and the message was suspicious. Thankfully, I had already seen warnings about this type of scam going around.”
The notices typically warn of “final default judgments,” potential license suspension, and other severe consequences, in an attempt to create a sense of urgency. Officials note that New York traffic courts do not request payments via QR codes in text messages, and recipients should not scan any links or provide personal information.
Officials encouraged anyone receiving similar messages to ignore the texts, avoid scanning QR codes, and verify any claims directly with the relevant authorities. Sharing warnings with neighbors and community members can help prevent others from falling victim to this type of digital scam.
Residents who have received the messages are encouraged to report them to local law enforcement.
I got these messages today and knew to be careful, but my parents almost got scammed…
I got the same thing from Los Angeles. Same language and QR code.
I too got the message in Los angeles. One dead giveaway was the violation was dated 2 weeks before the final notice.
also, no plate number.
I too got this notice but I was made aware about this scam a while ago. This scam must be publicized.