Chatham County drivers are being hit with a new kind of traffic scare: official-looking letters that claim the State of North Carolina has put them in “default” over unpaid tickets and is coming for their driver’s licenses unless they pay up fast. The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office says those letters are pure fiction, the paperwork is not legitimate, and residents should not send money or share any personal information, even if the notice comes with a QR code or payment link.
In a public alert on social media, the Sheriff’s Office called the letters fraudulent and urged anyone who received one to report it to law enforcement, according to Facebook. The image shared with that post shows a document dated March 9, 2026, listing a Wake County district court hearing on March 26 at 9:00 a.m., but investigators say those supposed court details are part of the scam too. Chatham County’s official website lists 919-542-2911 as the Sheriff’s non-emergency line for questions or to report one of these letters, according to Chatham County.
What the fake notices say
The bogus notices are dressed up to look like the real thing, often labeled “Notice of Default,” complete with a case number and stern warnings that your license could be suspended unless you pay immediately. Many include a QR code that sends people to a payment page or a site that asks for personal and financial information. If a court date or case number on a letter makes you nervous, verify it yourself through official channels like the Wake County court calendar or by calling the clerk’s office before you act, as outlined on the Wake County website.
How the scam works and why QR codes are risky
Scammers are leaning on QR codes because they hide where you are actually being sent until after you scan. Security researchers even have a name for it, “quishing,” a QR-based twist on phishing that can funnel victims straight to fake payment portals or credential-harvesting sites. The FBI and cybersecurity experts have warned that this kind of QR-code fraud can slip past normal email and text filters and lure people into typing in sensitive data. For a deeper look at how these scams play out, see reporting from TechRadar.
If you got one: steps to take
If a letter like this shows up in your mailbox, do not scan the QR code, do not click any links, and do not follow the payment instructions. Hold on to the letter and the envelope as evidence, then call the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office at 919-542-2911 to report it and independently confirm any supposed court dates through official court resources. Residents can also file a consumer complaint with the N.C. Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Division or report possible internet-enabled fraud to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, in line with guidance from the N.C. Department of Justice and IC3.
Why this matters
Scams that mimic courts or law enforcement hit people where they are most vulnerable, using official language, dates, and tight deadlines to crank up the pressure and push for quick payments. Local authorities are urging residents to slow down, verify through trusted sources, and report suspicious mail so investigators can spot patterns and warn the wider community before more people get taken in.
