The Hawaiʻi State Judiciary is warning the public about a new wave of scam text messages falsely claiming to come from the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary and alleging that recipients have unpaid traffic fines.
People in Hawaiʻi and elsewhere are receiving text messages alleging that unless immediate payment is made for unpaid traffic violations, their driver’s license and vehicle registration will be suspended, additional fees will be assessed, and other penalties may follow.
Some versions of the scam direct recipients to a website that appears designed to imitate a legitimate government motor vehicle or payment website. That website is not affiliated with the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary.
The Judiciary urges the public not to click on any links contained in these messages and not to provide personal or financial information in response to the messages.
Important facts to remember:
- The Hawaiʻi State Judiciary does not call, email, or text people to demand payment or personal information for court-related matters.
- Official notices from the courts are generally sent by U.S. mail, unless a person has contacted the Judiciary first with a specific question.
The courts will never:
- Ask for your Social Security number, credit or debit card information, or bank account details over the phone or by email.
- Demand immediate payment using pre-paid debit cards, gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or online payment apps to avoid arrest or jail.
Protect yourself from scams:
- Do not click on links in suspicious text messages or emails.
- Delete suspicious texts or emails that appear to come from the Judiciary if you did not contact the Judiciary first.
- Do not open attachments or reply to suspicious messages.
- Do not trust caller ID. Scammers can “spoof” legitimate phone numbers to make their calls appear official.
- If you are unsure whether a call, text, or email is legitimate, contact the Judiciary directly using the phone numbers listed on the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary’s official website.
Anyone unsure whether they have an unpaid traffic citation can search by first and last name and also by license plate number in eCourt Kokua, the Judiciary’s public online case look-up system. People who have been issued citations can check the status of those citations by using the “Case Search” function in eCourt Kokua.
For more information and updates about Judiciary-related scams, visit the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary’s Scam Alerts page.