Traffic violation text scams are evolving with QR codes

If you received a sketchy message last year about an unpaid toll or parking ticket, you weren’t alone. These DMV and E-ZPass phishing scams have swept the country in 2025, targeting drivers in states like California, Florida and New York with fraudulent messages designed to scare people into disclosing their personal and financial information. Today, the scammers are back and have improved their approach.

In the latest version of this scam, consumers receive a text message warning them that they are receiving a “final notice” for a traffic violation, warning them to make an urgent payment and directing them to a QR code for payment.

According to a new report from BleepingComputer, a wave of traffic violation phishing texts is circulating in at least nine states: California, Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia and Texas. Mashable also found evidence that scammers are also targeting people in Georgia.

This time, instead of a simple link, the messages include an image of a fake official court notice and a QR code. The notice is written in compelling legal language, warning recipients that their vehicle is the subject of a pending violation and that the case has entered the “formal enforcement phase.” Scan the QR code, it says, to settle your outstanding balance.

That balance, in all cases documented by BleepingComputer, is $6.99 – a small enough amount that many people won’t hesitate to pay it.

Scanning the code takes victims through a CAPTCHA before dropping them off on a fake DMV site designed to harvest names, addresses, phone numbers and credit card information. The stolen data can then be used for identity theft, financial fraud, or sold to other bad actors.

The previous version of the scam, which we reported on last year, relied on clickable links that security software could more easily flag. Embedded images on top of the added CAPTCHA make it more difficult for automated systems and security researchers to detect.

The Illinois Department of Transportation issued an alert last March warning residents that text messages claiming recipients owe money for traffic tickets, tolls or other fines are not legitimate messages from the state. This warning echoes what DMV agencies in New York and elsewhere have repeatedly said: State agencies do not use text messages to collect payments or request personal information.

Most recently, California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a press release warning Californians about this scam.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It may be loading or has been deleted.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It may be loading or has been deleted.

What to do if you receive a traffic violation notice via text message

The rule here hasn’t changed, even if the scam has. If you receive an unsolicited text message about an unpaid fine, traffic violation, or court matter, no matter how official it may be, don’t scan anything, don’t click anything, or pay anything.

Contact your local traffic court or state DMV for more information on any outstanding violations or fines, which will usually come to you by mail.

Finally, you can report any suspected phishing scams to the FTC or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. You can ignore the text message or delete it.

Do you have a story to share about a scam or security breach that impacted you? Tell us about it. E-mail [email protected] with the subject “Safety Net” or use this form. Someone from Mashable will contact you.