Scammers have found a new way to weaponize the typical stress that follows anything that has to do with the legal system.
While the majority of us have learned to ignore suspicious delivery links or “wrong number” bait, a notification claiming you’ve missed a court date carries a unique kind of weight that is designed to trigger panic before logic can kick in.
It’s a psychological game that is currently catching Granite Staters off guard, prompting New Hampshire’s Attorney General, John M. Formella, to issue a formal warning about fake court notices showing up in the form of text messages.
Anatomy of the Deception
The messages in question sometimes come with an attachment showing what appears to be a judge’s name, case number, state seal, and a QR code to pay the supposed fine. All convincing enough that people end up paying.
They also often feature vague greetings, unfamiliar links, and threats of arrest or license suspension if the fine isn’t paid immediately. None of that is how courts actually work.
State courts simply don’t go about things this way. Official notices are delivered by mail. New Hampshire’s Judicial Branch has never notified anyone of a hearing by text, and it doesn’t collect fines through links or QR codes.
Attorney General John Formella’s office has been fielding a number of complaints and has advised the public not to click links, scan QR codes, or make any payments.
It’s also worth noting that the attachments are made to look real, so by the time someone stops to wonder whether the documents they’ve received are legitimate, they’ve most often already opened the questionable links.
Point to be noted: Anyone with a genuine query about a court case can contact the relevant court directly through courts.nh.gov.
Source: The Rochester Post