Scam Alert: You Will NOT Be Contacted Via Email for a Speeding Ticket

Who hasn’t received a speeding ticket (or two) in their day? Today’s technology means it’s easier than ever to catch drivers speeding on roads. In addition to radar guns, municipalities have begun attaching cameras to lamp posts in order to snag speeders. However, drivers must be weary of a new email scam that is making the rounds. It preys on people’s beliefs about these cameras. Read on to learn more so you won’t be the next victim.

The Beginnings of the Scam

Earlier in March 2016, police in the Philadelphia suburb of Tredyffrin, PA posted a message on their website detailing an email received by a local resident.

The unidentified resident reported an email they received which stated they had been caught on camera speeding and will be fined. The email contained an attachment with instructions on where to send the funds for the fine.

The resident failed to see the two problems with this email. The first being Tredyffrin doesn’t have cameras that capture speeding violations. And second, local police issue all speeding tickets in person – they don’t send them via email.

The Email Scam Has Spread

Around the same time Tredyffrin police issued the scam warning to residents, another police force in Maryland issued a similar message cautioning residents.

At the beginning of April 2016, the Montgomery County Police (MCP) warned drivers about the exact same scam. However, no locals reported receiving such emails.

Unlike in Tredyffrin, Montgomery County, MD does indeed have cameras that capture speedsters. But here too, the cops don’t issue speeding tickets via email. Instead, they send notifications through the U.S. Postal Service.

The Possible Origins of the Scam

There’s one reason residents believe these emails are genuine: they contain exact details of the date, time and location of the speeding violation. And the details are accurate, too.

Tredyffrin residents who received these fraudulent emails confessed to the authorities that they were, in fact, speeding at the time and place specified in the email.

How would the scammers know that information? That’s the scary part.

Police suspect that the data came from GPS-enabled smartphone applications. Hackers accessed the information and crafted those emails, hoping that unsuspecting victims would respond. Then, when the victim pays the fine, the hackers gain a backdoor into their computer.

Seek Legal Advice on How to Fight Fake Speeding Tickets

If you’ve received a speeding ticket (real or fake), you may be uncertain of what your potential options are and what to do next. What will help is having a lawyer who is experienced in dealing with traffic violations to ensure your rights are protected and you are not getting scammed.

Colgan Associates, LLC is a trusted law firm that focuses on family law, traffic law and criminal defense cases. We represent clients throughout Pennsylvania. Our offices are located in Harrisburg, York, and Dillsburg, PA.

Click here to contact us, or fill out the form on the right to arrange a free phone consultation.