Who: The FTC collects reports of fake legal and government threats.
When to use: Use when you received a fake lawsuit or legal threat.
What to prepare:
- Email or message
- Sender
- What they demanded
FTC ReportFraud~5 min
Category: Emerging & other
Fake legal threat or lawsuit email
How it often plays out
You get an email claiming you are being sued or must appear in court, with a link to "court documents" or a demand to pay a "settlement" to avoid arrest. The notice is fake—real courts serve papers formally and do not demand payment by gift card or wire to "dismiss" a case. Scammers send these emails to scare people into paying or clicking a link that may steal information or install malware. If you receive one, contact the court or agency directly using contact info from their official website, not from the email.
How to spot it
Common red flags: pressure to act immediately, requests for payment by gift card or wire, offers that seem too good to be true, or unsolicited requests for your personal or financial details.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Verify by contacting the court or agency directly using official contact info (not from the email).
- Save the email (headers and body) and any phone numbers.
- Report to the FTC and IC3.
Don't
- Click links in the email or pay a "settlement" to avoid arrest.
- Assume the notice is real because it looks official.
- Use contact information from the email; look up the court or agency yourself.
Summary & what to do
Scammers send fake legal notices, lawsuit threats, or jury duty demands to scare you into paying. Real courts do not notify by random email or demand immediate payment by gift card or wire.
What to do right now
- Do not click links or pay. Verify by contacting the court or agency directly using official contact info (not from the email).
- Save the email (headers and body) and any phone numbers.
- Report to the FTC and IC3.
Where to report
Who: The FBI's IC3 handles internet-based impersonation and fraud.
When to use: Use when the threat came by email or online and you lost money.
What to prepare:
- What happened
- Contact method
Go to IC3~10 min
Build your knowledge: Recommended reading — books & free websites on financial literacy and fraud awareness