Collier County Clerk’s Office Warns Residents of Court-Related Text Scam

The Collier County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller is alerting residents to a text message scam involving fraudulent communications that appear to be official court notices. 

The scam was recently reported by the Miami-Dade County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller’s Office, where individuals received text messages claiming to be from a court or clerk’s office. These messages often include a link or QR code and urge recipients to take immediate action, such as making a payment or providing personal information. 

Officials warn that these messages are not legitimate and are designed to deceive recipients into sharing sensitive information or making a payment. 

“This scam may be circulating among Collier County residents and uses Miami-Dade court and clerk information to appear legitimate. We want residents to be aware and remain cautious,” said Clerk Crystal K. Kinzel. 

Residents are urged to take the following precautions: 

The Clerk’s Office emphasizes that official court communications are not conducted via unsolicited text messages requesting payment or sensitive information. 

If you receive a suspicious message claiming to be from the court and requesting payment, do not respond. Instead, report the incident to local authorities or the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.