Public Warning: Court-Related Scams

The Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia, the administrative office of the courts, advises the public to be vigilant of ongoing scams that falsely claim to be from a Virginia court or magistrate office.

The court will never:

  • Call, text, or email you to demand immediate payment over the phone or by electronic means or demand personally identifying information like your social security number or date of birth
  • Threaten you with arrest, legal action or license suspension unless you pay over the phone; or
  • Ask for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, electronic payment apps (like Venmo or CashApp), or cryptocurrency

These fraudulent schemes often claim that you:

  • Missed jury duty
  • Owe court fines, fees, or costs
  • Have unpaid parking tickets or tolls; or
  • Are the subject of a warrant or contempt charge

What You Should Know

  • Scammers may use official-sounding language or spoof phone numbers to appear legitimate. They often try to pressure you into acting quickly by threatening imminent arrest or similar legal consequences.
  • Courts do not demand payment by phone and will not threaten arrest via phone, text, or email.
  • Legitimate court communications are typically delivered by mail or in person. Some court communications may come from emails with a vacourts.gov or local government email address.
  • Jury duty notices, court fines, and other legal matters are handled through official channels only.
  • Credit card payments should only be made in a court clerk’s office or through secure online applications, such as the Virginia Judiciary Online Payment System or the General District Online Case Information System, which are available on Virginia’s Judicial System website.

If You Receive a Suspicious Call or Message:

  • Do not provide personal or financial information.
  • Do not send any form of payment.
  • Hang up and contact the clerk’s office or magistrate office the individual claims to be calling from using verified contact information to confirm the legitimacy of the call.

Help Stop These Scams

If you are a victim or have been targeted by a court related scam, please report it immediately to your local law enforcement agency. 

To learn more about these scams and how to recognize the warning signs, please visit the Virginia Office of the Attorney General’s Scam Information or the Federal Trade Commission's Scam Alerts.