What should you check first if you receive a message saying you are owed money from ongoing litigation?
If the sender provides a judge’s or lawyer’s name, case details, and even an agency logo, the message may appear genuine.
The TJDFT, or Federal District and Territories Court, warned that even if this information is accurate, it is not proof that the sender is affiliated with a judicial institution.
3-line summary
1. TJDFT warned about fake judicial contact scams
2. Case details and logos can also be used in scams
3. An urgent request for a bank transfer is a signal to verify directly
Contacts Impersonating Judges, Lawyers, and Even Prosecutors
The TJDFT announced a new scam connected to litigation: the fake judicial contact scam. Criminals may demand money from victims while pretending to be judges, court employees, or lawyers, as well as representatives of public defender’s offices or prosecutors’ offices.
According to the TJDFT, this is an extension of the existing fake lawyer scam. Criminals use information from ongoing litigation to make their approach seem more credible and have expanded the range of identities they impersonate. Their ultimate goal is to extract money through improper payments or bank transfers.
The contact may come through WhatsApp, email, telephone, or video call. Cases imitating virtual hearings have also been reported. Even if the name or photograph of a court official appears on screen and an institutional logo and real data are presented together, those details alone cannot establish whether the contact is genuine.
Do not immediately trust someone simply because they know your name, your case number, or some details of the case. The TJDFT clearly stated that factual information can also be used in scams. Genuine case information may help criminals make their approach appear convincing, but it does not confirm that they actually represent the court.
Cases That Can Proceed Without a Lawyer Were Also Targeted
Many of the targeted cases identified by the TJDFT were being handled in Special Courts. In these proceedings, parties may in some circumstances conduct litigation themselves without a lawyer. This creates an environment in which criminals can approach the parties directly while pretending to be lawyers or court officials.
The absence of a lawyer is not itself a problem. However, when an unfamiliar number or account mentions the progress of a case, a payment, or a deadline, do not follow the route provided in that message. The TJDFT advised people to check the status of their case directly on the TJDFT website.
If you are receiving help from a lawyer or law firm, verify the message through contact information you already know, rather than through the contact details written in the new message. For those receiving support from a public defender’s office, the suggested approach was likewise to contact that office directly. Calling back the number sent by the scammer or opening a link to verify the information does not constitute this procedure.
This keyword was observed in the Brazilian search market. However, that does not indicate where the case occurred or where the reporting institution is located. The important point in the TJDFT’s warning is not a specific search market, but that an unfamiliar contact who knows litigation information cannot be grounds for a bank transfer.
The Purpose of Saying “You’ll Lose It If You Don’t Send It Now”
Criminals may invent fees, costs, or other charges related to the litigation. They then pressure victims to make an immediate transfer by saying that they could lose a deadline, a benefit, or money they are due to receive. The TJDFT said people should be especially suspicious when a payment demand involves urgency or pressure.
The TJDFT advised that courts do not receive money to register users, nor do they charge an amount in exchange for releasing money owed from litigation. Accordingly, demands such as “send the money first so the payment can be made” or “you will lose your rights if this is not processed today” are signals that should continue to be verified, regardless of whether the case itself is real.
Do not provide personal information or banking information or click suspicious links before verifying the source. The same principle applies regardless of the format, whether it is a text message, voice call, or video call. The more the sender urges you to act quickly, the more important it is to use contact channels for the court, lawyer, or public defender’s office that you found independently, rather than relying on the explanation in the message.
If You Suspect Fraud, Stop and Verify Before Transferring Money
The sequence presented by the TJDFT is to stop, check, and verify. Do not decide to transfer money or provide information merely because you received a message. First check the status of the case on the official website, then contact the representative or institution through contact information you already had.
If a contact claiming to be from the TJDFT seems suspicious, the court said inquiries can be made through its central information line, 159, WhatsApp for text messages only, (61) 3103-7000, or the court’s chat service. If you have been victimized, reporting it to the police is recommended. The court’s general public-service department has a separate form for registering litigation-related fraud and attempted fraud, and materials such as messages and screenshots may also be attached.
The most important point in this warning is that information that appears genuine and a genuine contact are not the same thing. Even if someone knows details of your litigation, check the case directly and verify through an existing contact channel before transferring money. The more urgently you are asked to make a payment, the more important it is not to change that sequence.
References
Tags #TJDFT #FederalDistrictAndTerritoriesCourt #FakeJudicialContact #FakeLawyer #LitigationScam #CourtImpersonation #WhatsAppScam #BankTransferScam #PhishingAwareness #PersonalDataProtection #CaseLookup #PoliceReport