| DENVER—Colorado residents are being warned about fraudulent text messages circulating statewide that falsely claim recipients must appear in district court for a traffic violation. Anyone who receives one of these texts should delete it immediately and avoid clicking any links.
How to Spot the Fake Text:
The name of the court is wrong. Any message referencing a generic “District Court of the State of Colorado” is not legitimate.
No location, date, or time is listed. A notice without this information is not a real court order.
Court staff information is incorrect, with names that do not match the local court’s public records.
The case number is inconsistent with Colorado’s case number system. Common case numbers appearing in the texts include CO-DC-2026-TR.
The URL is not from Colorado’s official court system. Any link directing you elsewhere, especially one containing “DMV” in the address, is fraudulent. Do not click it.
How Courts Actually Notify You:
Legitimate court appearance notices arrive by mail, in person, by counsel, or by initial summons issued directly by a law enforcement officer at the time of a traffic stop. The court will send text message reminders for court appearances, including one the day before the scheduled appearance. All valid notices include a case number, the specific judicial district, judge and clerk information, courthouse address, and scheduled date and time.
To verify whether you have a pending court matter, visit www.coloradojudicial.gov and use the docket search function or call the clerk of court in your local judicial district. Colorado has 23 judicial districts, and contact information for all of them is listed on the official judicial branch website.
What to Do:
Delete the message. Do not click any links, call any numbers listed in the text, or provide personal or financial information. If you have already clicked a link or shared personal information, contact your bank immediately and consider placing a fraud alert on your credit file.
Where to Report This Scam:
If you are concerned about a real court matter, contact your local court directly through www.coloradojudicial.gov. Media outlets and community organizations are encouraged to share this information freely.
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