Minnesota Officials Warn Residents About Fake Traffic Ticket Text Scam

Minnesota court officials warned of a text scam sending out fake traffic tickets and asking recipients to pay a fine or appear in court. The scam is so realistic and widespread that both the Hennepin County District Court and law enforcement agencies across the state issued alerts to residents.

The phony tickets were first reported in Hennepin County and include details such as a made-up case number, the name of a judge who doesn't exist, and the actual address of the Hennepin County Government Center. While there are 63 judges serving Hennepin County, the judge listed in the scam texts, John Smith, is not real. Also included in the texts is a prompt to scan a QR code to pay the fine.

"Dozens of Hennepin County residents report receiving a scam text message telling them to pay a fine or show up for court tomorrow," the Judicial Branch wrote in a press release. On one day alone, several people showed up at the courthouse for the fake hearing. The scam's effectiveness is rooted in volume: in 2025, Hennepin County courts handled 137,936 traffic cases.

Law enforcement authorities across the state, including the Clearwater County Sheriff's Office, joined the warning after the alert was issued in mid-March 2026. The Clearwater County Sheriff's Office provided a screenshot of an example scam text that was circulated through regional news outlets to help residents identify the fraudulent messages.

The Minnesota Judicial Branch was unequivocal in its message: "Neither the Minnesota Judicial Branch nor law enforcement will ever text or call you to demand money for a traffic fine."

Anyone who receives one of these texts should take the following steps. Do not click on any links. Do not give out a credit card number or make any payment. Do not share any personal information, such as a Social Security number. Report the message to a local law enforcement agency. Court officials also advise that they will never notify people of traffic violations over text or by phone call.

To confirm whether a court notice is legitimate, call the official court help line at 612-348-6000, staffed by court employees from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Anyone who has already fallen victim to the scam should file a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

University of Minnesota professor Jonathan Wrolstad, an expert on cyber threats, noted that these scams target the population at large, with the familiarity designed to inspire panic. "The targets are rarely chosen individually and instead the criminals rely on everyday situations like parking tickets or package deliveries," he said. Beltrami County residents who receive a suspicious text and are uncertain whether it is legitimate are encouraged to contact the Beltrami County Sheriff's Office before clicking anything or making any payment.