Missouri Courts Warn of Fake Traffic Ticket Text Scam
The Missouri Judiciary has warned the public about fake text messages claiming people owe money on outstanding traffic tickets. The texts are designed to trick recipients into clicking a link that can expose their phones to viruses or other malware. The courts' message is simple:
Missouri courts will not contact you by text message about traffic tickets.
According to the April 3, 2026 alert from the Supreme Court of Missouri, the courts and court officials named in the messages do not exist, the case and citation numbers are fake, and the link does not lead to an official government website. This is a form of "smishing" — SMS phishing — and it is part of a broader wave of government-impersonation scams. The telltale sign is pressure to click a link or pay immediately; a legitimate court will not demand payment or personal information by text.
How to verify a real traffic case
If you receive one of these texts, do not click the link. You can confirm whether you actually have a traffic case through Missouri's official Case.net system, reached only through the official courts.mo.gov website, and resolve eligible tickets through its Plead and Pay option. If a ticket isn't showing yet, the local prosecutor may not have filed it — contact the local court or prosecutor to be sure. Fraudulent texts can be reported to local law enforcement, and the state courts administrator's Help Desk is available at (888) 541-4894.
The Wood Law Firm represents Missouri drivers in traffic ticket matters and consumers harmed by fraud and deceptive practices. Unwanted and deceptive text messages are an increasing problem — a federal court recently confirmed that consumers can sue over illegal marketing texts under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. If you have a real traffic ticket and need help, you can review your options with no obligation online or by telephone.
