Michigan residents are being warned about a new scam involving fraudulent text messages that claim to be from the 36th District Court in Wayne County. The scam is designed to appear as a “Notice of Civil Infraction Hearing” related to a toll violation, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
The message urges recipients to either attend an in-person hearing or pay a penalty before the scheduled date. It also includes a QR code that links to a website mimicking the Michigan Department of State’s official site. Other reports have indicated similar scams using names of private companies and the Michigan Department of Transportation.
“Scammers are using toll road scams to scare residents into turning over their hard-earned money,” said Attorney General Nessel. “When in doubt, always follow your instincts and never share personal and financial information because you received an urgent text message. Verify any claims with the 36th District Court or any entity a scammer is claiming to represent.”
This warning comes during National Consumer Protection Week as part of ongoing efforts by the Michigan Department of Attorney General, which serves state residents through public service and protection initiatives, and advances social causes such as supporting vulnerable populations (official website). The department holds statewide authority for safeguarding citizens across Michigan.
Text message scams like this one fall under “smishing,” which involves fraudulent texts about fees, fines, arrest warrants, undelivered packages, or job offers. Indicators include unsolicited messages from unusually long phone numbers, urgent language, grammatical errors, requests for sensitive information, and suspicious links.
Consumers are advised not to reply or click on links in questionable texts but instead use spam-blocking features on their devices. Smishing attempts can be reported by forwarding them to SPAM (7726) or sending them to the Federal Trade Commission.
Attorney General Nessel also reminded consumers that government agencies will never request payments via email, phone call, or text message; they will send notices by mail and provide legitimate payment options—not gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or payment apps.
Dana Nessel has served as Michigan’s 54th attorney general (official website), leading actions that influence policy and protect residents throughout the state.
Residents seeking more information or wishing to file complaints can contact the Consumer Protection Team at the provided mailing address in Lansing or through its online complaint form.