Kansas Judicial Branch Warns of Scam Impersonating Courts

Scammers threaten court enforcement for unpaid tolls and ask victims to scan QR codes to make payments

Apr. 7, 2026 at 4:11pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a QR code scanner against a pitch-black background, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash, conceptually representing the deceptive nature of a scam that encourages victims to scan a fraudulent QR code.A harsh, investigative close-up of a QR code scanner highlights the deceptive tactics used in this court impersonation scam targeting Kansans.Topeka Today

The Kansas judicial branch is alerting the public about a new scam that impersonates a court and threatens enforcement action for an unpaid toll. The scam message includes a fake case number and the name of a non-existent judge, and encourages the target to scan a QR code to make a payment. The courts are urging Kansans to be wary of unsolicited contacts claiming to be from the courts and to verify any pending matters through the official Kansas District Court Records CaseSearch.

Why it matters

This scam is targeting Kansans across multiple communities, attempting to deceive them into providing personal and financial information or making payments to fraudsters. It highlights the importance of public awareness about common tactics used by scammers, as well as the need to verify the legitimacy of any court-related communications through official channels.

The details

The scam message appears to be from the traffic division of a Kansas district court, listing a fake case number and the name of a judge who does not exist. The scammers are encouraging recipients to scan a QR code to make a payment for an alleged unpaid toll. However, the courts advise the public to check the Kansas District Court Records CaseSearch to verify any pending matters, and make payments through the official KSCourts Central Payment Center if fines or fees are owed.

  • The Kansas judicial branch issued the warning about this scam on April 7, 2026.

The players

Kansas Judicial Branch

The state's judicial system, which is raising awareness about this scam targeting Kansans.

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What’s next

The Kansas judicial branch is urging Kansans to report any suspected scams to the authorities and is providing contact information for courts statewide.

The takeaway

This scam highlights the importance of verifying the legitimacy of any court-related communications through official channels, and not providing personal or financial information to unsolicited contacts claiming to be from the courts.