Park City residents report receiving fake ‘mandatory collection’ scam notices, Utah DPS warns

Utah DPS is warning residents to watch for a fake “mandatory collection” notice tied to a growing traffic-related scam. Photo: Utah Department of Public Saftey

PARK CITY, Utah — Some Park City residents say they have received a fake “mandatory collection” notice that state officials are warning is part of a wider scam circulating across Utah.

The Utah Department of Public Safety said in a public scam alert posted Thursday that Utahns are reporting an “aggressive scam involving fake ‘Court-Ordered’ documents” that claim a person’s traffic account is delinquent and threaten immediate driver license suspension.

According to Utah DPS, one clear red flag is that the notice lists the “Department of Safety & Homeland Security,” which DPS said does not exist in Utah. The agency also warned that the notice uses high-pressure language such as “irrevocable,” “non-negotiable,” and “mandatory” to create panic.

DPS said it does not collect fines for traffic violations and that legitimate communication about those matters would come through the courts.

KSL reported Friday that by mid-afternoon Thursday, DPS had received around 100 calls from people reporting the scam, including some who had already tried to send money. KSL also reported the fake notice included a QR code directing recipients to an “official secure portal” for payment.

The scam follows other recent warnings in Utah involving fraudulent messages about unpaid traffic fines and motor vehicle issues. Earlier this month, the Utah State Tax Commission’s Motor Vehicle Division warned the public about text messages falsely claiming recipients had unpaid traffic fines and threatening enforcement or legal action if immediate payment was not made.

Utah DPS is urging people who receive the fake notice not to respond, not to send money, and simply delete it. The agency said residents can also help by warning others that the message is a scam.