Local law enforcement, along with the Iowa State Patrol and the Iowa Department of Transportation, are warning residents about a scam involving fraudulent “final notice” messages.
Officials say the notices are being sent by text, email, and mail, claiming unpaid traffic violations such as toll evasion, parking, and speeding tickets, and threatening enforcement action if payment is not made.
Authorities say one red flag is that the notices reference both Iowa and a municipal court in St. Louis County, Missouri, a combination that does not correspond to any valid Iowa enforcement action. Other red flags include a QR code linked to a non-government website, and claims involving toll bridges. Officials note Iowa does not have toll bridges, and there are no active toll bridges in Missouri.
Residents are urged not to respond, not to provide any personal information, and not to make payments. Instead, they should delete the message and report it as spam to their phone provider.
Example of text below
