Indy drivers are getting slammed with a fresh wave of bogus text messages that claim they owe traffic or toll fines and demand fast payment. The texts are slicker than older scam attempts, often dressed up with images of official-looking documents and a QR code designed to nudge people into paying on the spot.
Clerk's office swamped with calls
Marion County Clerk Kate Sweeney Bell told Fox59 that her staff has spent days debunking the messages and fielded roughly 600 calls about the scam on Monday alone. According to Fox59, at least two versions of the con are circulating this month, copying court-style language and dangling relatively small penalties to pressure people into paying quickly.
Fake summons, fake names and QR codes
The Indianapolis Star found the fake notices often feature an image formatted like a “Notice of Infraction Hearing,” complete with made-up case numbers and an obviously generic judge name such as “John Smith.” The bogus document usually pushes recipients to scan a QR code or hit a link to pay a small amount - a classic smishing tactic to steal payment details or personal information.
State police: don't pay or click
Indiana State Police Sgt. Ted Bohner told WNDU the scheme relies on creating urgency and fear, noting that “the intent is to take your money and/or your identity.” Bohner and other officials say anyone who gets one of these texts should delete it, block the sender and verify any supposed fines only through the agency’s official website or a trusted phone number.
How to protect yourself and report fraud
The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles has warned that it does not send SMS messages about outstanding penalties and is urging people to ignore and delete any such texts. Officials and local stations recommend double-checking any claims directly on the toll agency’s official site, forwarding suspicious messages to 7726 (SPAM), filing a complaint with the FBI’s IC3, and visiting IdentityTheft.gov if you already shared personal information. The BMV offered similar guidance in a recent release (Indiana BMV).
Watch for obvious red flags such as out-of-date court addresses, nonexistent judges or clerks, and phone numbers that send you to unrelated county offices. Local officials say those kinds of errors have turned up in some versions of the scam. When in doubt, call the Marion County Clerk using the phone number listed on Indy.gov or check court records in MyCase before responding to any text.
