Scam Texts Claiming to Be From Delaware Courts Are Targeting Your Phone
State of DE - If you've received a text message recently claiming to be from the Delaware Justice of the Peace Court, do not download it, do not scan any QR codes, and delete it immediately. The Delaware Judiciary is warning the public about a wave of scam texts hitting cell phones across the state - and a similar version already made its way through Maryland.
The fake messages are designed to look official. They show up as a "Final Notice" from the court, claiming you have unpaid speeding or toll violations that need immediate attention.
Some include a QR code that they say you can scan to settle the balance and avoid having your license revoked.
It sounds convincing - but it's a scam.
"This is not a legitimate text message," said Justice of the Peace Court Chief Magistrate Alan Davis. "The Justice of the Peace Court does not send text messages or emails about outstanding violations. Please delete it immediately. If you have any questions about potential or outstanding violations please contact the Justice of the Peace Court's voluntary assessment center at 302-739-6911 during normal business hours."
One of the easiest ways to spot this scam is to notice that the message never uses your name. It only includes a fake case number. That alone is a red flag.
Court officials are also warning that the text may contain malicious software. Simply downloading or opening the full message could put your phone and personal information at risk.
This is not the first time scammers have tried something like this. Over the past six months, people in Delaware have been targeted by phone calls from people pretending to represent a Delaware court. In those cases, victims were told they had outstanding warrants or had missed jury duty, and they were pressured to pay using a bitcoin ATM.
In some of those calls, the scammers stayed on the phone with the victim and walked them through every step of depositing cash into the ATM machine - money that went straight to the criminals.
Other versions of the scam involved sending fake "orders of arrest" by text or email, then directing people to a specific address to make a cash payment in person.
Delaware courts want you to know one important thing: they will never demand payment through gift cards, apps like Venmo or Zelle, bitcoin, or any other hard-to-trace method. That kind of urgency and pressure to pay quickly is the biggest warning sign of all.
If you get a call or text like this, here is what you should do. Write down the caller's name, what they claimed, and the phone number if it showed up on your caller ID. Then hang up and contact local law enforcement or the courts directly to verify the information.
Keep in mind that scammers can make calls appear to come from real court or police phone numbers, so don't assume a caller is legitimate just because the number looks right.
Delaware courts typically notify residents about any legal obligations by mail - not by phone, text, or email.
If you're unsure whether you've been summoned for jury duty, you can call Delaware Superior Court Jury Services. The number for New Castle County is 302-255-0800, Kent County is 302-735-1901, and Sussex County is 302-855-7055.
If you have questions about court costs, fines, or fees, contact the Office of State Court Collections Enforcement at 302-255-0339 or visit one of their in-person office locations at a courthouse.
To check for any outstanding warrants, you can search online through the Delaware Criminal Justice Information System.
For more information on how to protect yourself from phone scams in general, visit the Federal Trade Commission's consumer advice page at ftc.gov.
Share this article and help spread the word - the more people who know about this scam, the fewer people who fall for it.
