Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Debra Todd is urging the public to stay vigilant following reports of a sophisticated text message scam designed to trick individuals by impersonating the state’s highest court. The fraudulent scheme utilizes "spoofing" technology to make the texts appear as though they are coming directly from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The messages falsely claim that "First Chief Justice Debra Todd" is contacting the recipient regarding an incomplete court filing, demanding immediate electronic payment via PayPal to resolve the issue and avoid legal penalties.
State court officials want to remind all residents that the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and the broader state judicial system will never place unsolicited calls or send text messages demanding payment via credit card, PayPal, gift card, or any other method of electronic funds transfer. Anyone who receives a suspicious text or call of this nature is strongly advised to ignore the message, hang up immediately, and report the incident to local or state law enforcement. Victims or targets can also file a report with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection by calling (800) 441-2555 or emailing scams@attorneygeneral.gov.
