TOPEKA — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is warning consumers about a sophisticated email scam that falsely claims to come from the U.S. District Court and threatens recipients with legal action.
Kobach said the scam is designed to steal personal information or infect computers with malware by tricking people into opening attachments or clicking links that appear to be official court documents.
“Kansans should never respond to unsolicited emails claiming to be official court summons—these are sophisticated scams designed to steal personal information or infect devices with malware,” Kobach said. “State and federal courts do not serve legal documents via email, and clicking links or opening attachments in these fraudulent messages can have serious consequences.”
According to the Kansas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, reports have come in from residents who received emails with subject lines such as “Legal Compliance Required: Court Case #USDC-2026-[Number].” The messages falsely claim the recipient has been “formally served with a summons in a civil action” and warn that a default judgment will be entered if the recipient does not respond immediately.
The Attorney General’s Office offered several tips for handling these emails:
Do not reply: Do not click on any links, open attachments, or respond to the sender. The content is likely malicious.
Know the process: The U.S. District Court does not serve initial summonses by email. Official service is carried out through certified mail or by a process server.
Verify independently: If you believe a legal case may exist, contact the Clerk of the Court using contact information found on the court’s official website, not details provided in the email.
Check the sender carefully: Scammers often spoof legitimate addresses or use non-government domains. Legitimate federal court emails always end in .gov, not .org or .com.
Consumers who receive one of these scam emails are encouraged to report it. The message can be forwarded to the Federal Trade Commission at [email protected]
Kansans can also file a complaint with the Kansas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division through the Attorney General’s website.
Kobach said reporting the emails helps investigators track emerging scams and take action against those responsible.