Philly courts issue fraud warning over text message scam

Court officials in Philadelphia are warning people to be alert of a text messaging scam that claims to be from the city’s municipal court and alleges that the person who receives a scam message that they owe unpaid parking citations.

Those texts, officials said Tuesday, are part of a scam.

Officials said the scam texts tell recipients to pay an “unpaid parking citation” via a link in the text message or be ready to appear in court.

However, officials said the city’s court system doesn’t work that way and would never sent a text message demanding payment for parking or other violations.

Officials also warned residents to be careful not to share personal, banking or credit card information to any unknown phone number or over text.

Anyone who may have received one of these text messages or worries they may have been a victim of this scam, is asked to call their local police department or contact the PA Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection at 800-441-2555, or contact the Federal Trade Commission.