Traffic Violation Text Scams Now Use QR Codes

A new texting scam has emerged, using CAPTCHA’s to make detection more challenging for automated software. The scam involves sending texts to consumers, warning them of a “final notice” for a traffic violation and urging them to make an urgent payment via a QR code. This scam is affecting drivers across states like California, Florida, and New York. According to a report from BleepingComputer, nine states, including California, Connecticut, Illinois, and more, have reported cases. Scammers are also targeting Georgia. Instead of a clickable link, the scam messages now contain an image of a fake court notice with a QR code. The notice uses legal language to coerce recipients into scanning the QR code to settle an unpaid balance of $6.99. Scanning leads victims through a CAPTCHA to a fake DMV site, where their personal data is stolen. Despite the scam’s evolution, the advice remains the same: avoid scanning, clicking, or paying anything from unsolicited texts. Contact local courts or DMVs directly for confirmation and report suspected scams to the FTC or the FBI’s Internet Crime Center.