Alerts

CORONAVIRUS FRAUD (04/03/2020)

Please stay vigilant and be on the lookout for Covid-19 related scams as cybercriminals have increased their attacks by over 667% last month alone. The St. Johns County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller will never request personal information from you via email, telephone or even door-to-door. Never be coerced into divulging your personal or financial information, and please call us IMMEDIATELY at 904-819-3600 if you have any questions or concerns about our office. Stay safe and be well!

 

Fraudulent Warning  (08/23/2017)

The St. Johns County Clerk’s Office is warning all citizens of an fraudulent phone spoofing scam.

The phone call is fraudulent in its entirety and includes a request for you to call the St. John’s District Court’s Office. They provide the correct automated main number for the St. Johns Clerk of Court and a secondary phone number that is linked to a recording. This recording states you have reached the St. Johns County District Clerks Office and all deputies are busy and for you to leave your information. When they return your call, it’s a spoofing call that shows our main number 904-819-3600. Once on the phone the individual claims to be a deputy named Lance Watson (please note, they may use other names as well) and will use Judges’ names and reference citations and possibly jury duty. They have been known to mention that you might be arrested unless you pay the fines. This is a scam, do not attempt to return any calls or give any personal information if contacted.

Thank you,

St. Johns County Clerk’s Office

New Phone Scam Alert (02/10/2017)

Beware of new ‘can you hear me’ phone scam 

 The idea of this phone scam is aimed at getting people who answer the call to say the word “”YES.”

It may not seem like a big deal at the time, but it’s what the criminals can do later with that recording that’s dangerous to you, your information and your identity.

Once they have a recording on file of your voice saying “YES,” scammers can then use it to authorize unwanted charges on bills, credit cards and more.

So don’t say anything and don’t press any buttons – just hang up!

If you get a call from a number you don’t recognize, you should always be skeptical of anyone who tries to get you to respond with a simple “yes.”

For example, here are a few ways scammers might get you to say it:

  • Can you hear me?
  • Are you the lady of the house?
  • Do you pay the household phone bill?
  • Do you pay the household bills?
  • Are you the homeowner?

You should be skeptical of any yes or no question that has no context provided by the caller.

The safest thing to do is to just hang up.

Tips to protect yourself against this scam:

  • Use Caller ID to screen calls, and consider not even answering unfamiliar numbers. If it’s important, they will leave a message and you can call back.
  • If someone calls and asks “Can you hear me?”, do NOT answer “yes.” Just hang up. Scammers change their tactics as the public catches on, so be alert for other questions designed to solicit a simple “yes” answer.
  • Check your bank and credit card statements regularly for unauthorized charges. It’s also a good idea to check your telephone and cell phone bills, as well. Scammers may be using the “Yes” recording of your voice to authorize charges on your phone. This is called “cramming” and it’s illegal.
  • Don’t be pressured into making fast decisions.
  • Take time to research the organization.
  • Never provide your personal information (address, date-of-birth, banking information, ID numbers) to people you do not know.
  • Don’t click on links from unsolicited email or text messages.
  • If you are unsure about a call or email that claims to be from your bank, utility company, etc., call the business directly using the number on your bill or credit card.
  • Never send money by wire transfer or prepaid debit card to someone you don’t know or haven’t met in person.
  • Never send money for an emergency situation unless you can verify the emergency.

Fraudulent Notice to Appear Email Warning (05/15/2017)

The St. Johns County Clerk’s Office is warning all healthcare professionals of an ongoing fraudulent email targeting healthcare professionals.

The Florida E-Filing Portal was breached several years ago and rounds of emails are issued periodically notifying the recipient of an alleged court date for a US Health Care Service Code Violation.

This email is fraudulent in its entirety and includes an attorney’s name, case number 831704DR001393A000XX, and is sent from noreply@myflcourtaccess.com.

Please immediately delete this email and do not attempt to open any attachments within.

Thank you,

St. Johns County Clerk’s Office

DHSMV Warns of Traffic Citation Scam (12/20/2016)

Consumers targeted for payment of fraudulent citations.  Visit FLHSMV.GOV for the full press release.

Fraudulent Email Alert (9/14/2016)

A fraudulent email message is circulating as a Notice to Appear in Court referencing US Health Care Service Code Violation and Court Case #DR14-1383.  Please be advised that this is an email scam.

If you receive a message matching this description, do not open the attachment or click the links (underlined text). Delete the email immediately. Clicking links on this message will likely download malicious software to your computer.