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What to do if…
you receive a notice that unpaid fines will be sent to enforcement agents unless you act immediately

Short answer

Don’t pay or click anything yet — verify the fine directly with the court or agency using official contact details you look up yourself.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t click links, scan QR codes, open attachments, or log into “payment portals” from the notice.
  • Don’t call the phone number on the notice until you’ve verified it independently.
  • Don’t pay with gift cards, crypto, wire transfer, or person-to-person payment apps to an individual.
  • Don’t share your Social Security number, bank login, or one-time passcodes to “confirm” a fine.
  • Don’t stay on the line with someone threatening arrest or a warrant “today” — end the call and verify.
  • Don’t assume it’s fake and ignore it — verify first.

What to do now

  1. Pause and preserve evidence. Screenshot the message/letter (including sender details, phone numbers, and the full link text). Do not click the link.
  2. Name the scam pattern out loud if it fits. “Missed jury duty / warrant / pay immediately to avoid arrest” plus unusual payment methods is a common impersonation scam. If you feel pressured, treat it as suspicious and move to verification.
  3. Verify using official channels you find yourself:
    • Type the court/agency website address yourself (don’t use the notice’s link).
    • Use the official phone number for the clerk of court (or the agency’s official contact number) shown on that official site.
    • Ask: “Is there a ticket/case for my name? What is the official amount? What are the official payment methods?”
  4. If it’s from a “debt collector,” get validation before paying. Ask for written debt validation information. If you receive a validation notice, you generally have 30 days to dispute the debt in writing (if you think it’s wrong or not yours).
  5. Spot the high-risk red flags that mean ‘do not pay’: demands secrecy, threats of immediate arrest, insistence you must pay via gift cards/crypto/wire, or refusal to let you verify with the court/agency.
  6. Report it if it seems fraudulent.
    • Report scams and impersonation to the FTC.
    • If you lost money or shared sensitive info, consider also filing a report with IC3 and contact your bank/card issuer immediately.
    • You can also report to your state Attorney General consumer protection office.
  7. If it’s confirmed real but you can’t pay immediately, switch to process. Ask the court/agency about legitimate options (due date, payment plan, fee breakdown). Write down the case/ticket number and the name/title of the person you spoke with.

What can wait

  • You don’t need to decide right now whether to fight the fine — first confirm whether it exists and who issued it.
  • You don’t need to provide a full SSN or bank details “to verify” a fine.
  • You don’t need to respond instantly to threats delivered by text/email — real agencies have verifiable processes.

Important reassurance

Scammers rely on urgency and fear because it makes people skip verification. Taking a few minutes to confirm directly with the official court/agency is the safest first step — and it’s normal to feel shaken by legal-sounding threats.

Scope note

This is first-steps-only guidance to help you verify authenticity and avoid irreversible mistakes. If the fine is real, next steps depend on the issuing court/agency and your state/local procedures.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. Procedures vary by state and by the type of fine. When in doubt, verify using official court/agency contact details and avoid paying through links or payment methods provided in an unverified notice.

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