Dallas Scam Alert: Fake Court Texts Demand Payment

0:00Dallas police are warning residents about a sneaky scam involving text messages that look like they're from city courts. These text claim you owe money for parking tickets or toll violations and push you to pay right away by scanning a QR code. Officials stress that real Dallas municipal courts never send unsolicited texts like this, or as for payments through links or codes from unknown sources. The fake notices often mimic official papers, mentioning hearings or case numbers to seem legit, but they're tied to no real city process. This is a twist on common scams and it's hitting folks across the area. Some people have actually shown up at municipal courts after getting these messages, confused and looking for answers. Others scan the codes and sent money before catching on that it was a fraud. If you get a suspicious text, police say don't click anything, don't reply, and just delete it. Keep sharing any personal or bank info unless you verify the source yourself. Anyone who's already paid should call their bank or car company fast and report it to

1:04Dallas police. The department is digging into these cases, teaming up with partners to shut it down and urging reports to the FBI's internet crime complaint center, or the Federal Trade Commission websites. Stay sharp out there to avoid falling for it. Stay in form of Dallas News today, AI-powered updates. I'm Corey with the story.