Did You Receive This Notice To Appear In Court Via Email?

You'd think the scammer would get tired of scamming people, but unfortunately in 2020, that's not the case. Scams are popping up everywhere, some you may not even recognize because scammers are getting more and more discreet (get a life, right?). The latest scam may be coming to your inbox; a notice to appear in court from an attorney's office.

Now I actually got this email myself. It came to my work email, so I guess the scammer thought a may take it seriously. Here's what the email said:

Lauren...

You have Notice to Appear in Court.

Hereby you are notified that you have been scheduled to appear for your hearing at the county courthouse. Please bring all documents and witnesses relating to this case with you to Court on your hearing date.

To view a copy of the court notice click here. Please, read it thoroughly.

Note: If you do not attend the hearing the Judge may issue a warrant for failure to appear in Court. 

Regards, 

Vincent Gambino Baker, Attorney at Law

This is what is known as a phishing scam, and I could spot it a mile away. Here are the biggest things that give this email away:

• The scammer is trying their best to get your attention with a serious subject matter. If you really had a court appearance scheduled, this would not be the first you're hearing of it, nor would you get this notice via email. These notices will be delivered through priority and authorized mail. Plus, I think you'd know if you were charged with a crime.
• Language. This is exactly how the email was written; Words unnecessarily capitalized or missing altogether.
• Click Here. These words are the point of the whole email. The scammer wants you to click the link to read your court notice. Again, your "notice" would not be accessible through a link in an email. Clicking this link could drop you right into the hands of the scammer. Links can give scammers access to your computer (so much so that they could literally take control of your mouse), access to your work files, or get you to share sensitive information that they could use later.
• Vincent Gambino Baker. Google it. Seriously, take a moment and Google search the name at the end of an email like this. You're sure to see other scam warnings attached to this name.

So if you come across this email, or one that may be similar, remember to be on the lookout for these warning signs. Scammers are targeting more and more people, especially right now when people are working from home. Make sure that email from your boss is actually from your boss. Don't send out personal information via email. It's totally ok to reach out to your boss to make sure they're the one who sent that email. It's one extra step, but it's a step that can save you from A LOT of headache.