Scam calls and messages target Americans more than anyone else
A new global survey of more than 10,000 adults finds Americans receive fraudulent messages nearly twice as often as people in other countries.
Unbranded – Lifestyle
- Scammers control the situation by getting consumers to act quickly, before anyone takes anything seriously.
- “People should be very wary of any type of unexpected phone call or text message,” said Teresa Murray, director of consumer watchdog at US PIRG, a nonprofit advocacy group.
Every day, drivers receive one fake text message after another. A fake alert arrives on your smartphone in 2026, threatening you with the possibility of losing your driver’s license if you don’t take immediate action on your unpaid ticket. The other is an old document regarding unpaid bills.
Cities across the country — Detroit; Boston; Columbus, Ohio. Providence, Rhode Island and other states have warned that all texts about unpaid parking tickets and tolls are not legitimate.
On the morning of Monday, March 23, some Metro Detroit drivers reported receiving a fake text from Detroit’s “36th Judicial District” claiming they needed to scan a QR code to resolve their outstanding balance. The listed violation is “parking violation/toll violation.” The amount allegedly owed is not stated.
The fake “notice of default” claimed that if the driver did not pay now, he would have to appear for a court hearing at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24. It’s a scam. The so-called “Judge: Michael Rodriguez” is not a judge here.
One text was sent from area code 737, which serves Austin, Texas, and surrounding suburbs, not Detroit.
The 36th District Court has received reports of text message scams claiming that you owe a court fine and must pay it immediately to avoid harsh penalties. These messages do not come from a court or any public agency. Do not click on links or provide payment or personal information. Never contact us by text. If you receive a suspicious message like this, please report it to local authorities and do not engage with the sender.”
Police warned in March that residents were receiving fake text messages about so-called parking violations, which often included QR codes used for payment.
Some consumers have reported receiving a text that says something like, “Our records indicate that your vehicle was parked in a posted No Parking Zone (No Stopping/Standing Zone) in violation of applicable traffic regulations. This notification serves as a formal request for payment.”
Scammers know we’re behind the wheel despite rising gas prices and are sure to come back to hit us with more scams hidden behind claims of unpaid bills and unpaid parking tickets. After all, we’re in the big driving season.
Families with high school students may be leaving for spring break soon, and many other families may be traveling for Easter, Passover, Mother’s Day, and other special occasions.
Fake texts often direct you to a link to pay a fee. Alternatively, consumers may be prompted to scan a QR code. Please stop.
Scammers are now making money by sending QR codes as text messages
Scammers control the situation by getting consumers to act quickly, before anyone takes anything seriously. It tricks you into believing that you need to buy a gift card, click a link, or scan a QR code right away to avoid big trouble.
Michigan consumers have received hundreds of complaints about fraudulent texts over the past year, and on Friday, March 20, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said she issued an additional warning about toll plaza and ticket scams.
According to the alert, common versions of toll or ticket scams include fake court notices, impersonating government agencies, and fraudulent messages from private toll carriers.
Recently, the AG’s office noted that fraudulent messages included images purporting to be “notices of civil violation hearings.”
The notice, which purports to be from the district court, falsely warns that consumers must either appear in person for a hearing or admit liability and pay a fine by the hearing date. According to the AG’s office, “the scam also includes a QR code that leads to a fraudulent website.”
The 36th District Court in Wayne County, Michigan, warned in early February that fake text messages were circulating claiming people owed money for “unpaid parking tickets.” And the court made it clear that text messages about unpaid parking fees will not be sent.
Consumers are also receiving bogus texts that appear to be from the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Secretary of State, or toll collection systems such as SunPass and E-ZPass.
One of the latest scams is rehashing old toll road text. Nessel also warned that in early March, a fraudulent email purporting to be from “Judge John Smith” of Wayne County’s 36th District Court instructs drivers to scan a QR code because “payment for toll violations associated with your vehicle has not yet been received.”
Again, drivers were told they needed to appear in Detroit’s 36th District Court or scan its QR code.
One red flag: “Judge John Smith” is, you guessed it, a fake name used in scams to steal money and personal information.
“The current wave of fraudulent messages hitting Michigan phone numbers appears to be much larger than similar waves of fraudulent messages in the past,” Nessel spokesman Danny Wimmer said in a statement.
Wimmer told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, on Friday, March 20, that the latest wave of documents does not appear to mention specific municipalities or jurisdictions.
Fortunately, he said, the Michigan residents who alerted the AG’s office knew the texts were scams and typically did not click on the links or interact with the senders.
Fraudsters know people drive more in the spring and summer
Text messages about unpaid bills, speeding tickets, and unpaid parking tickets mirror other fake text messages about undelivered packages, arrest warrants, and job offers.
The reality is that most people drive cars, order online, have bank accounts and computers. A scammer who sends texts in rapid succession will likely trick someone into thinking the next text is about the real issue. My computer is probably infected with a virus.
“If a bad actor sends out a bunch of phone calls and texts, they’re going to attack people who say, ‘Oh, yeah, I was expecting a FedEx package today,’ or ‘Oh, yeah, I was on a toll road that I don’t often drive, and I don’t have an EZ Pass,'” said Teresa Murray, director of consumer watchdog at the nonprofit advocacy group US PIRG.
Some scams are perennially popular for good reason.
Her advice is not to respond to messages you receive out of the blue.
“People should be very, very skeptical, paranoid and fearful, whatever you want to say,” Murray told the Detroit Free Press.
“People should be very wary of any kind of unexpected phone call or text message,” Murray said.
She pointed out that there are all kinds of red flags related to text, domain, and logo wording. However, some warnings are quite simple.
“The simplest warning sign is that it’s unexpected. Be careful,” Murray said.
Murray said scammers have more tools to make text messages and robocalls seem more believable. To make the text more reliable, some people look at the price of a typical parking ticket in a particular city, she says.
Even in the case of text messages, some may sound genuine, as the scammer may also know some details about you. Of course, scammers are usually just sending out a bunch of random texts hoping to catch someone off guard.
Some bad actors even create “fake” parking tickets. Fake tickets ask consumers to pay online or use a QR code.
During the Detroit Auto Show in early 2026, the Michigan AG’s office warned that scammers may imitate logos and city hall names on these fake tickets. Best bet: Search the internet for the city’s official parking ticket website. Look at what’s on the site and compare what’s on the ticket. In Canada, government sites must end in .gov or .ca.
The AG’s Office recommends that you verify the existence of a ticket by visiting the municipality’s website directly or by calling the courthouse before following any web or QR code instructions.
Fake text messages can seem more trustworthy than robocalls
“I think in many ways, scam emails are more dangerous than scam calls,” Murray said.
You can choose whether to answer the call. Cell phones often alert you to possible scam calls. Or always send calls to voicemail. Scammers may not leave a voice message.
“With text, you can’t help but see a preview of the text,” she said. “You can see the first few lines without opening it.”
This text gives you a sense of urgency that your bank account has been hacked. Or, you may be borrowing money for tolls or tickets. I feel like I have to act quickly. If you’re curious, you might accidentally click on a link or scan a QR code.
“What I would say to people is, don’t be too curious,” Murray said.
There’s an old expression that goes, “Curiosity kills the cat if you’re too nosy.” Murray likes to say: “Curiosity deceived you.”
According to Nessel and other experts, other red flags in texts being sent by scammers include:
- You’ll notice that the texts are coming from unusually long phone numbers (often 10 digits or more).
- The text may contain links that may be shortened or scrambled.
- They say you need to act now to avoid even bigger headaches.
- The text may contain grammatical and spelling errors. However, this is not always the case.
- You will be asked to scan a QR code, click a link, or provide personal and financial information.
Please remember that government agencies will never solicit money via email, phone call, or text message.
According to Nessel’s warning, “They will mail you notices, provide you with payment options, and will not request or accept payments via prepaid gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or payment apps.”
Contact personal finance columnist Susan Tompol: stompor@freepress.com. follow himr X @tompor.
