(INDIANAPOLIS) - Police are warning Indiana residents about a new text-message scam using fake court documents to pressure people into paying bogus fines.
The scam involves text messages containing official-looking legal paperwork claiming the recipient owes money for toll violations, parking tickets and moving violations.
Investigators say there are several clear red flags.
The fake documents reportedly:
- do not include the recipient's name
- do not list a specific location where the alleged violations happened
- fail to cite any Indiana Code statutes
- combine multiple violation types that would normally be filed as separate cases with separate case numbers
Police also say the QR code included on the fake notice can trigger a scam alert warning when scanned.
Other warning signs include spelling errors, including "Indianapells" instead of Indianapolis, and the use of a judge's name that does not match any actual Marion County court official.
Authorities are urging residents not to send money or scan suspicious codes and to report suspected scam messages to local law enforcement.