Phishing scam uses fake court messages to steal from car owners

A new phishing scam targeting car owners has emerged in the United States. Hackers are sending out fake text messages, posing as state courts, warning recipients about "unpaid parking fees" and threatening legal action unless a payment of $66.99 is made. Incidents have been reported in states including New York, California, Texas, Illinois, Virginia, as well as Connecticut and New Jersey.

The messages contain a duplicate notice from the "court" and an embedded QR code that supposedly allows users to verify the debt. Scanning the QR code redirects the user first to an intermediate site for identity verification, then to a fake website prompting payment. Entering credit card information on such a page completely hands that data over to the hackers.

An investigation by BleepingComputer revealed that the criminals operate systematically: they mimic official court notifications and use psychological pressure to prevent victims from checking information through official channels. The chosen debt amount is designed not to provoke too much resistance but is sufficient to generate profit for the perpetrators.

State government agencies have repeatedly warned that courts do not request personal or payment information via SMS. If someone receives such a message, it is crucial not to scan the QR code and to contact official authorities to verify any outstanding debts.

Experts advise drivers to check their payments through official parking websites or apps, and to use antivirus programs and anti-phishing services to protect their mobile devices.