San Diego Superior Court officials are warning county residents about increasingly sophisticated scams that use fake court notices, spoofed phone numbers and pressure tactics to demand money.

According to East County Magazine, court officials issued the warning Thursday, May 7, after receiving reports of two convincing schemes. One involves callers making it appear as if they are calling from a legitimate court number, then claiming the recipient has pending criminal charges. Another uses text messages about unresolved traffic citations, often with fake case numbers, judge or clerk names and links requesting immediate payment.

The court said it does not initiate contact by phone or text to collect fines or resolve court issues. Official correspondence is sent through U.S. mail or, in specific cases, through E-Service for parties who have opted in. The court also said it will never ask for payment through Venmo, PayPal, Zelle or similar apps.

For Santee residents, the safest move is to pause before responding to any urgent court-related message. Anyone unsure about a notice or call should verify the case number through the San Diego Superior Court website or contact the court directly rather than using links or phone numbers provided in a suspicious message.

Source: East County Magazine, with information from the San Diego Superior Court.