PanicStation.org
UK USA
us Legal, police, prison & official contact urgent case number email • cannot verify sender • official looking legal email • fake court notice email • fake police notice email • fake jail email • suspicious “case reference” email • “action required” case email • threatening legal email • unexpected legal notice email • asked to pay a fine by email • asked to confirm identity by email • link in “case file” email • attachment in legal email • sender address looks wrong • spoofed official email • verify with court clerk • call agency main number • “warrant” mentioned in email • “summons” mentioned in email

What to do if…
you receive an email saying your “case number” requires urgent action but you cannot verify the sender

Short answer

Assume it’s a scam until proven otherwise: don’t click or reply. Verify using contact information you find independently (court/police agency main line), and report the phishing attempt.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t click links, open attachments, or scan QR codes “to view your case file”.
  • Don’t call any phone number listed in the email or use its “reply-to” address.
  • Don’t send personal details (SSN, date of birth, driver’s license/passport images, bank info) to “confirm identity”.
  • Don’t pay a “fine”, “fee”, or “warrant clearance” through a link, gift cards, crypto, wire transfer, or Zelle-type transfer because the email pressured you.
  • Don’t forward the email to friends/colleagues if it contains personal data — use screenshots instead.
  • Don’t assume it’s real because it uses seals, letterhead, or a realistic-looking case number.

What to do now

  1. Stop and treat it as untrusted. Your only goal right now is to avoid an irreversible action (clicking, paying, or sharing identity info).
  2. If you already interacted with it, contain first.
    • If you clicked/opened an attachment: disconnect the device from the internet (Wi-Fi off / airplane mode) and continue.
  3. Preserve basic evidence without engaging.
    • Screenshot the email (sender address, subject, any “case number”, and the demand).
    • Keep the email for reporting — don’t keep re-opening attachments.
  4. Verify using an independent channel (not anything in the email). Pick the closest match:
    • Court case (summons/subpoena/jury/warrant language): find the court’s official website and call the clerk of court number listed there. Ask whether the court uses email for this kind of notice and whether they can confirm anything using your name and the alleged case number.
    • Police/sheriff/federal law enforcement: find the agency’s official main number and ask if they sent it. If you feel in immediate danger, call 911.
    • Jail/prison/probation: use official state/county corrections or probation websites for contact numbers and verify.
  5. Use a quick red-flag test (one is enough).
    • insists you must act “within hours” to avoid arrest
    • demands payment by gift card, crypto, wire transfer, or a payment link
    • tells you not to contact anyone else
    • uses a slightly misspelled sender address/domain
    • includes unexpected ZIP/HTML attachments
  6. Report the phishing attempt.
    • File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
    • Forward phishing emails to reportphishing@apwg.org.
    • Mark it as spam/junk in your email provider.
  7. If you entered any password or personal info, do a fast account-safety reset.
    • Change the password for the affected account(s) using the real site/app (typed in manually).
    • Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA).
    • If financial info was shared or money was sent, call your bank/card issuer using the number on your card and say you may have responded to a phishing scam.
  8. If you lost money, consider an additional report that creates a record.
    • Keep receipts, transaction IDs, and screenshots.
    • If instructed by your bank/card issuer, file a local police report (this can help with disputes in some cases).
  9. Write a “safe verification note” and step away.
    Record: the claimed agency, the alleged case number, what they demanded, and any deadline. Use the note for verification calls so you don’t feel pulled back into the email.

What can wait

  • You do not need to prove it’s fake before reporting it.
  • You do not need to reply “to clarify”.
  • You do not need to pay anything today to “stop escalation”.
  • You do not need to send identity documents to an email address.

Important reassurance

Scammers deliberately use legal/police language because it triggers fear and urgency. Being rattled is a normal reaction to a message engineered to pressure you — pausing is the safest move.

Scope note

This is first-steps guidance for safety and verification. If it turns out there’s a genuine legal matter, follow the official instructions you receive through verified channels, and consider qualified legal help.

Important note

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Agencies’ communication practices vary by location and situation. If you believe you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911.

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