Is Court Summons Legit or a Scam?
Fake court summons or arrest warrant texts demanding immediate payment. Here's what you need to know.
Last Updated: February 3, 2026
Our Assessment
Likely Scam
Messages matching this pattern are almost always fraudulent.
Check Your Message - Free & Private
Received a suspicious court summons message? Paste it into our AI-powered checker for instant analysis. No data is stored - your privacy is protected.
Check NowCommon Examples of Court Summons Scams
WARRANT ISSUED: You have an outstanding court summons. Pay $850 to avoid arrest: court-pay.com
Failure to appear notice: A warrant has been issued for your arrest. Call 1-888-XXX-XXXX immediately.
U.S. Marshals: You have missed jury duty. Pay a fine now to clear your record.
Why Am I Receiving This?
Court summons scams rely on immediate fear of arrest to override critical thinking. The FTC warns that legitimate courts use postal mail, not texts or emails, for summons and never demand payment by gift card or wire transfer.
What To Do Next
- Legitimate courts send summons by certified mail — not text, email, or robocall
- Courts and law enforcement never demand gift cards or wire transfers as payment
- Call your local court directly using a number from the official court website
- Report to your state Attorney General and the FTC
How to Spot a Court Summons Scam
Look for these common red flags:
- Urgent language demanding immediate action
- Requests for personal information, passwords, or payment
- Suspicious links or misspelled domain names
- Threats of account suspension or legal action
- Unexpected messages claiming problems with accounts you may not have
When in doubt, never click links in unexpected messages. Instead, go directly to the official website by typing the address yourself, or contact the company through their verified customer service channels.
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is the Court Summons scam detector?
Our AI analyzes multiple indicators and provides a confidence level with each verdict. While highly accurate for common scam patterns, always verify suspicious messages through official channels.
Is my message stored or shared?
No. Your message is processed transiently by AI and immediately discarded. We never store, log, or share any content you submit.
What should I do if I've already clicked a suspicious link?
Change your passwords immediately, enable two-factor authentication, monitor your accounts for unusual activity, and run antivirus scans on your devices.
How do I report this scam?
Forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM), report phishing emails to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and notify the company being impersonated through their official security channels.