Beware Of The Traffic Division Scam Hitting Sioux Falls

It's not a new scam, but it is popping up again frequently enough to get the Sioux Falls Police to issue a reminder about it.

It's the 'Traffic Division' scam.

That's the one where scammers posing as local courts issue a 'Final Notice - Court Enforcement Action', informing the recipient that they have a series of outstanding violations that could result in fines, suspended licenses, or even jail time.

Following reports of more and more residents receiving these notices, the SFPD took to its Facebook page with an important reminder:

'SFPD has received multiple reports from people who received text messages claiming they have unpaid fines related to traffic violations. These messages are part of a scam attempting to trick individuals into paying fake fines or providing personal information. If you receive a message like this, do not scan the QR code and delete the text immediately.'

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There are a couple of red flags on these messages that immediately call their authenticity into question.

First, there is no Judge Michael Rodriguez in Minnehaha County.

Second, 'the failure to pay electronic toll/toll evasion' violation doesn't fly in a city and state that has no toll roads or bridges.

But, this scam isn't just isolated to one particular area of the country. Just last week, the Federal Trade Commission issued its own nationwide warning about the notices.

According to the FTC:

'Scammers want you to act quickly, so the text will also list bad things that can happen if you don’t respond now: default judgments, fines, and enforcement actions. All the stuff to scare you into (supposedly) making it all go away by scanning the included QR code to settle your (fake) unpaid balance. If you scan it, they’ll try to steal personal information (like your Social Security or credit card number), download malware on your phone, and steal your money.'

Authorities advise that if you get a text like this, don’t respond, and don’t scan the QR code. If you think the message might be real, check the court’s website for case information or call the court directly — but use a website or phone number you know is correct, not info from the text message.

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