News Item

New Judicial Scams Target Minnesotans

Posted: Wednesday, August 20, 2025

A new scam that demands people to log into a Zoom meeting with a judge is making its way across Minnesota.

In the most recent swindle, scammers call people and accuse them of missing jury duty. The scammer then requests the person’s email address and sends them a Zoom link to an alleged remote court hearing. When the person logs in, a scammer dressed in a black judicial robe says they are ordered to immediately pay a large fine.

This is a variation on other scams that have been seen in Minnesota this summer. In the other scams, victims receive calls or texts saying they have a warrant or a traffic ticket they have to pay immediately, or that they have to pay a fine for missing jury duty.

Although the texts and calls may use the names of real court employees and law enforcement officers, they are still fake. Neither the Minnesota Judicial Branch nor law enforcement will ever text or call you to demand money for a fine or a warrant. And while there can be consequences for failing to appear for jury duty, such as being summoned to explain your absence, the court will never call you to demand money, ask for your credit card or Social Security number, or require that you immediately meet with a judge via Zoom.

If you receive a phone call or a text like these, do NOT click on any links or give anyone your credit card or other financial information. If you receive a Zoom link to a court hearing, hover over it to make sure it links to https://courts-state-mn-us.zoomgov.com/ (scammers will insert this text into an email but will link the text to a different website).

If you fell victim to a scam like this, file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.