WEST LEBANON — The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office is warning residents about fraudulent text messages falsely claiming to be from state courts.
The state Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau has received numerous complaints from people who received texts alleging they missed a court date or owe a fine, according to a news release. The messages often include what appears to be an official notice of hearing and direct recipients to click a link or submit payment to avoid legal consequences.
The New Hampshire Judicial Branch does not notify individuals of hearings or fines through unsolicited text messages and does not request payment through links sent by text, the release said.
Residents should be wary of messages that claim to be from a court or government agency and demand immediate payment, include links to unfamiliar websites, or threaten arrest or license suspension for nonpayment.
Anyone who receives such a message should not click links, provide personal or financial information or send payment, the Attorney General’s Office said.
Residents concerned about the status of a court case should contact the appropriate court directly using official contact information from the New Hampshire Judicial Branch website at courts.nh.gov.