Benton County Sheriff’s Office Warns of Text Message Scam Featuring Fake Traffic Ticket

(KNSI) – The Benton County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a text message scam circulating in the area that uses a phony traffic citation to try to steal personal and financial information.

In posts on Facebook and X, the sheriff’s office shared an image of the fake ticket being sent to residents. The document is designed to look like an official “Final Enforcement Notice” from the State of Minnesota and threatens license suspension, vehicle registration holds, and collections if the recipient does not pay immediately or appear at a court hearing scheduled for May 7th, 2026.

The citation contains several obvious red flags. It claims to be issued by the District Court of Harris County, which does not exist in Minnesota. The listed court address is 201 Caroline Street in Houston, Texas. The ticket also lists “failure to pay electronic toll” as a violation, despite Minnesota having no toll roads.

Scammers included a QR code labeled “Pay Online” that investigators say would direct victims to a fraudulent website designed to harvest bank or credit card information. In some versions of these scams, victims are instructed to pay the supposed fine using gift cards or cryptocurrency.

The sheriff’s office is reminding residents to never trust anyone who contacts them unexpectedly, especially if the message creates a sense of urgency or demands payment through gift cards or cryptocurrency.

Legitimate government agencies do not use those payment methods and do not issue traffic citations by text message.

Authorities say residents should always do their own research and verify that a person or agency is legitimate before sharing any personal or banking information.

Anyone who receives one of the fraudulent texts is encouraged to delete it without clicking the QR code or any links. Residents who believe they may have already provided information to the scammers should contact their bank or credit card company immediately and report the incident to law enforcement.

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