Officials Warn of Fake Court Summons Text Scam in Baltimore

Maryland Judiciary alerts residents to fraudulent messages demanding payment for toll violations

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The Maryland Judiciary has issued a warning about a new text message scam targeting Baltimore residents. The scam texts claim the recipient has an outstanding toll violation and must appear at a Baltimore City District Court location, providing a fake QR code, date, time, and courthouse address. Officials state these texts are fraudulent and that Maryland courts do not request payments or personal information via text, phone, or email.

Why it matters

This scam aims to trick unsuspecting residents into providing sensitive personal and financial information or making payments to fraudsters, which could lead to identity theft and financial losses. Raising awareness of this scam helps protect the public from falling victim.

The details

The scam texts reference the Maryland District Court in Baltimore and instruct recipients to report to one of several court locations, including Wabash, Hargrove, Hubbard, Eastside, and the old Civil Courthouse at 501 East Fayette Street, on February 27 for an alleged unpaid toll violation. The texts include a fake QR code and warn that failure to comply will result in a bench warrant and additional fines or court action.

  • The Maryland Judiciary issued the warning on February 27, 2026.

The players

Maryland Judiciary

The state's judicial branch that oversees the court system, which has alerted the public about this scam.

Maryland Government Relations and Public Affairs Office

The state government office that provided details about the fraudulent text messages to the public.

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What’s next

Anyone with questions about this scam can contact the Office of the Attorney General Consumer Protection Division hotline at 410-528-8662.

The takeaway

This scam highlights the importance of verifying the legitimacy of any official-looking communications, especially those requesting personal or financial information. Residents should be wary of unsolicited texts or calls claiming to be from government agencies and avoid clicking on links or providing sensitive data.