Consumer Alert: Scammers Sending Fake Traffic Citation Texts

Arkansas AG - News Releases

Published April 7th, 2026

Detected April 7th, 2026

Summary

The Arkansas Attorney General issued a consumer alert warning residents about text message scams impersonating Arkansas courts with fake traffic citations. Scammers are sending texts claiming to be from a court system regarding unpaid traffic violations, including fake case numbers, judge names, and links to make payments or resolve the matter. The AG advises recipients to not click any links, not reply, and report the scam to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

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What changed

The Arkansas Attorney General published a consumer alert warning about an active text message scam targeting Arkansas residents. The scam involves fraudsters impersonating court systems, sending messages about alleged unpaid traffic citations with fake case details, judge names, and payment deadlines. The messages direct recipients to click links to resolve citations or make payments.

This alert is informational and does not create compliance obligations for businesses. Consumers who receive such messages should not engage with the texts, should not click any links, and should report the scam to authorities. Individuals with legitimate concerns about traffic citations should contact their local court directly using verified contact information rather than responding to unsolicited messages.

What to do next

Do not click links in suspicious text messages claiming to be courts
Report scam to FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov
Verify any citation concerns directly with local courts using official contact information

Source document (simplified)

CONSUMER ALERT: Scammers Claiming to be Court System Target Arkansans Via Text with Fake Traffic Citations

April 7, 2026

Scammers Are Impersonating Arkansas Courts with Fake Traffic Citations

Arkansans have reported receiving text messages from senders claiming to be an Arkansas court regarding an alleged unpaid traffic citation. The message includes a case number, judge name, and a deadline to respond, and it directs recipients to click a link to resolve the matter or make a payment.

What Arkansans Should Know

Arkansas courts will not send unsolicited text messages demanding payment or directing you to click a link to resolve a citation. Scammers use official-sounding language, fake case details, and threats of penalties—such as license suspension or fines—to pressure victims into acting quickly.

What Arkansans Should and Shouldn’t Do

Do not click on any links in the message.
Do not reply to the text.
Report the message as junk and delete it.
If you are concerned about a possible citation, contact your local court directly using a verified phone number or official website.
You can report the scam to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. For more information, please contact the Office of Attorney General at (501) 682-2007 or [email protected], or visit the website www.ArkansasAG.gov.

To download a PDF of this consumer alert, click here.

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