Last updated: July 2026 · By the susQR security team · Part of the quishing guide
Quick answer: Any text message claiming you owe a traffic ticket, toll, or court fine — especially one with a QR code — is a scam. No US court, DMV, or toll authority sends payment demands by text. The QR code leads to a fake payment page that steals your card details under the cover of a small "fee" (typically $6.99). Delete it, or check the code first by screenshotting it and uploading it to susQR's free scanner.
How the scam works, step by step
- The text arrives — often as an image of an official-looking notice impersonating a court, DMV, or toll authority ("final notice," "legal consequences," "license suspension"). Instead of a link, it carries a QR code, which slips past carrier spam filters that catch suspicious URLs.
- The CAPTCHA gate — scanning the code first opens a CAPTCHA page. That's not for your security: it blocks automated scanners from following the link and analyzing the phishing site behind it.
- The fake payment portal — a convincing DMV- or court-styled page demands a small fee, typically $6.99. The low amount is deliberate: it feels too small to question.
- The real theft — the form captures your name, address, phone, email, and full card details. Criminals then use or sell the card data; some victims see fraudulent charges within minutes.
Official warnings, state by state
This campaign has drawn an unusual volume of official warnings through 2025–2026:
- FTC — consumer alert: "That text about an overdue traffic ticket is probably a scam" (July 2025)
- New York — texts impersonating the Criminal Court of the City of New York (2026)
- Illinois — Cook County Circuit Court and Clerk's Office warnings about QR "parking ticket" notices (2026)
- Texas — TxDMV's "Don't click it — it's not a ticket" warning (2025)
- Arizona — MVD impersonation wave hitting Phoenix (November 2025)
- Additional warnings from California, North Carolina, Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Utah toll authorities
See our QR scams by city pages for local incidents and reporting contacts in 24 US metros.
How to spot a QR scam text instantly
- The channel is the tell: courts and DMVs communicate by mail, not text. That alone settles it.
- Pressure and deadlines: "pay within 24 hours," threats of license suspension or arrest
- A QR code image where a normal message would have a link
- Odd sender: a random mobile number, email-to-text gateway, or foreign country code
- A fee that seems trivially small — that's the hook, not the payoff
Already scanned it?
- Visited only: close the page; don't enter anything.
- Entered card details: call your bank now — block the card, dispute charges, and watch statements.
- Entered a password: change it everywhere it's used and turn on two-factor authentication.
- Report it: forward the text to 7726 (SPAM), then file at reportfraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov.
Not sure about a QR code in a text?
Screenshot it and upload it to susQR's free scanner. We decode the QR code, follow the redirect chain past the CAPTCHA trick, and check the destination against 90+ security vendors — without your phone ever opening the link.
Sources
- FTC Consumer Alert: "That text about an overdue traffic ticket is probably a scam" (July 2025)
- BleepingComputer: "Traffic violation scams switch to QR codes in new phishing texts" (2026)
- Cook County Circuit Court & Clerk's Office scam warnings (2026)
- Texas DMV: "Beware of scam text messages" advisory (August 2025)
- Arizona DOT/MVD: identifying scam texts guidance (2025)