NH AG Warns of QR Code Court Scam Texts
Summary
Attorney General John M. Formella is warning New Hampshire residents about an ongoing wave of scam text messages impersonating NH Courts that now include QR codes directing recipients to fraudulent payment sites. The NH DOJ Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau has received additional reports of messages claiming recipients missed court dates or owe fines, complete with fake 'notice of hearing' documents. The New Hampshire Judicial Branch does not send QR codes in text messages, does not solicit payments via text, and does not request payment through links or codes sent by text message.
“These messages are fraudulent. The New Hampshire Judicial Branch does not send QR codes in text messages, does not solicit payments via text, and does not request payment through links or codes sent by text message.”
Organizations that regularly communicate with clients or members via text or email should review their authentication practices to ensure recipients can distinguish legitimate communications from impersonation scams. The NH DOJ's identification of QR codes as a new attack vector in government impersonation fraud suggests that multi-factor verification and explicit identity-confirmation protocols for financial requests may reduce exposure to similar schemes targeting your customer base.
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GovPing monitors AG: New Hampshire Press Releases for new courts & legal regulatory changes. Every update since tracking began is archived, classified, and available as free RSS or email alerts — 23 changes logged to date.
What changed
The New Hampshire Attorney General issued a consumer alert warning about fraudulent text messages impersonating NH Courts that have evolved to include QR codes. The scam messages claim recipients have missed court dates or owe fines, and may include fake 'notice of hearing' documents with QR codes that direct victims to fraudulent payment or phishing sites. The alert clarifies that the NH Judicial Branch never sends QR codes via text, never solicits payments by text, and never requests payment through links or codes in text messages. Consumers who receive such messages should not engage with any QR codes, links, attachments, or payment requests — and should delete the message. Those concerned about a legitimate court case should contact the NH Judicial Branch directly at courts.nh.gov.
What to do next
- Do not scan any QR codes or click on links
- Do not provide personal or financial information
- Do not send payment
- Delete the message
Scheduled event
- Date
- 2026-04-22
Archived snapshot
Apr 22, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
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- Consumer Alert: New Scam Text Messages Impersonating NH Courts, Now Using QR Codes
Press Release For Immediate Release Date: April 22, 2026
Contact Michael S. Garrity, Director of Communications
(603) 931-9375 | michael.s.garrity@doj.nh.gov Brandon H. Garod, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau Chief
(603) 271-1217 | Brandon.H.Garod@doj.nh.gov
Consumer Alert: New Scam Text Messages Impersonating NH Courts, Now Using QR Codes
Concord, NH – Attorney General John M. Formella is warning residents about an ongoing wave of scam text messages falsely claiming to be from New Hampshire Courts, including a new variation that uses QR codes to direct recipients to fraudulent payment sites.
The New Hampshire Department of Justice Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau has received additional reports from consumers who have received text messages alleging that they have missed a court date or owe a fine. These messages may include what appears to be an official “notice of hearing” and now, in some cases, a QR code that recipients are instructed to scan to obtain more information or submit payment to avoid legal consequences.
These messages are fraudulent. The New Hampshire Judicial Branch does not send QR codes in text messages, does not solicit payments via text, and does not request payment through links or codes sent by text message. Consumers should also be aware that some of these scam messages contain inaccurate or outdated references to the court system, such as “District Court, Traffic Division.” New Hampshire does not have a “traffic division,” and motor vehicle matters are handled through the Circuit Court system.
Consumers should be cautious of messages that:
- Claim to be from a court or government agency and demand immediate payment
- Include QR codes, links, or attachments directing you to unfamiliar websites
- Threaten arrest, license suspension, or additional penalties for nonpayment
- Contain generic greetings or lack specific, verifiable case information
If you receive one of these messages:
- Do not scan any QR codes or click on links
- Do not provide personal or financial information
- Do not send payment
- Delete the message
Scammers often use official-looking language, documents, and now QR codes to create a sense of urgency and fear. Consumers should take time to verify any unexpected communication before taking action.
If you are concerned about the status of a court case, contact the appropriate court directly using official contact information from the NH Judicial Branch website: www.courts.nh.gov.
Court QR Text Scam Example
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