Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has issued a warning to residents about a new scam involving fraudulent toll road violation notices that impersonate the 36th District Court in Wayne County. The scam, which comes during National Consumer Protection Week, involves text messages containing an image claiming to be a “Notice of Civil Infraction Hearing.” Recipients are falsely told they must either appear in person for a hearing or pay a penalty before the scheduled date.
The deceptive message includes a QR code that directs users to a fake website designed to look like the Michigan Department of State’s site. Similar scams have been reported using the names of private companies and the Michigan Department of Transportation.
“Scammers are using toll road scams to scare residents into turning over their hard-earned money,” said Attorney General Nessel. “When in doubt, always follow your instincts and never share personal and financial information because you received an urgent text message. Verify any claims with the 36th District Court or any entity a scammer is claiming to represent.”
Text messages about toll road fees and fines are just one form of smishing, which is when scammers use text messages to trick people into giving up sensitive information. Other common smishing attempts involve fake arrest warrants, undelivered packages, or job offers. Warning signs include unsolicited texts, unusually long phone numbers, links that look shortened or scrambled, urgent language, spelling errors, and requests for personal or financial details.
Officials advise not replying to suspicious texts or clicking on any links or attachments. Residents should use spam-blocking features on their phones and report smishing by forwarding such texts to SPAM (7726) as well as sending them to the Federal Trade Commission.
Attorney General Nessel also reminded consumers that government agencies will not demand payments through email, phone calls, or text messages. Official agencies will contact individuals by mail with payment options and will never request payment via prepaid gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or payment apps.
The Michigan Department of Attorney General works statewide to protect residents through public service initiatives and social efforts such as combating human trafficking and supporting vulnerable populations (https://www.michigan.gov/ag). Dana Nessel serves as Michigan’s 54th attorney general (https://www.michigan.gov/ag).
Residents who wish to file complaints or seek more information can contact the Consumer Protection Team at P.O. Box 30213 Lansing, MI 48909; call 517-335-7599; fax 517-241-3771; use the toll-free number 877-765-8388; or submit an online complaint form.
