The Yates County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a scam circulating by text message and email that falsely claims recipients owe money tied to traffic violations and face immediate legal consequences.
Authorities say the messages, often designed to look like official court notices, attempt to pressure recipients into taking quick action by threatening penalties such as license suspension, fines, or court enforcement.
The fraudulent notices typically include references to unpaid tolls, parking violations, or speeding tickets and may feature official-looking formatting, case numbers, or QR codes directing users to submit payment. In some cases, the messages claim a final deadline has passed and that enforcement actions are already underway.
Law enforcement officials say these are “smishing” schemes — scams sent via text or email — meant to trick people into clicking links or scanning codes that can steal personal or financial information.
The sheriff’s office is urging residents not to respond to the messages, click on any links, or scan QR codes included in them. Officials also emphasized that individuals should never provide personal or payment information in response to unsolicited messages.
Anyone who is unsure about the legitimacy of a message is encouraged to contact local law enforcement directly before taking any action.
Officials say legitimate court or government agencies do not demand immediate payment through unsolicited text messages or emails, particularly those using threats to create urgency.
The warning comes as reports of similar scams continue to increase across the region, with authorities urging vigilance as scammers use increasingly convincing tactics.
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