A text message claiming Detroit’s 36th District Court is demanding payment for a toll violation is a scam, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
In fact, the real 36th District Court just announced it will run a courtwide amnesty program from March 9 through April 2. During that time, late fees, penalties and warrant costs will be waived upon payment of the original fines and costs owed.
New toll road scam
Nessel is warning residents about a new toll road scam impersonating the 36th District Court in Wayne County. The attorney general’s office said the fraudulent texts include an image labeled a “Notice of Civil Infraction Hearing” and falsely claim recipients must appear in person or admit responsibility and pay a penalty before a scheduled date.
According to the AG’s office, the message includes a QR code directing users to a deceptive website designed to appear legitimate and associated with the Michigan Department of State. Similar scams have also used the names of private companies and the Michigan Department of Transportation.
Judge John Smith, named in the fake toll text, is not a real judge at the 36th District Court.
“Scammers are using toll road scams to scare residents into turning over their hard-earned money,” Nessel said in a statement, urging residents to verify claims directly with the court or any agency a sender claims to represent.
“Never share personal and financial information because you received an urgent text message,” she added.
36th District Court’s amnesty program
The 36th District Court’s amnesty program helps people legally resolve outstanding fines and applies to all adjudicated cases with assessed fines and costs, except driver’s license reinstatement fees, according to the court.
Chief Judge William C. McConico said the program is intended to give individuals “a meaningful opportunity to resolve outstanding court debt without the added burden of late fees and warrant costs. Our goal is to remove financial barriers and help members of our community move forward.”
Approved payment methods are available on the court’s website.
AG: What to do about smishing/phishing
The attorney general’s office said texts like the fake 36th District Court toll notice are examples of “smishing,” or text-based phishing, and urged residents not to click links or share personal or financial information.
Other common smishing scams involve texts about arrest warrants, undelivered packages or job offers.
According to the attorney general’s office, warning signs include unsolicited messages sent from unusually long phone numbers, links that appear shortened or scrambled, urgent language, grammatical or spelling errors, and requests for personal or financial information.
Consumers can report smishing texts by forwarding them to 7726 (SPAM) and filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
The attorney general’s office also reminded residents that government agencies do not demand payment by email, phone or text. Legitimate agencies send notices by mail and provide clear payment options. They will not ask for payment by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency or payment app.
Residents who want to file a complaint or get more information can contact the Michigan Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team at 517-335-7599 or toll-free at 877-765-8388, or submit a complaint online.
