MINOT, N.D.-A fake email telling a Towner, N.D., man he owed money for a traffic violation in Minot he never had has been received and caused concern among law enforcement.
McHenry County Chief Deputy Dustin Welstad said the man received the email through his work email in Minot.
The email was headed "Notice of Traffic Violation" and supposedly came from the "Department of Motor Vehicles" using a fake email address of violations@citygovernment.co.gov .
The email said the man had a traffic violation and that a payment must be received within 72 hours.
He was also told to not mail in money, rather "All citations must be paid online through our EasyPay Center" with a link provided.
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There was also another link provided where the recipient may choose to contest the violation, however when clicked on, the link does not go anywhere.
Officer Aaron Moss of the Minot Police Department said law enforcement agencies or court in North Dakota never notifies traffic defendants of offenses via email.
Moss said state law enforcement officers issuing traffic summonses do so in person, explain the offense, explain options on how to pay or contest the violation, and provide the defendant an envelope to mail the fee to the court.
Both Welstad and Moss were concerned that others in the state may get similar emails.
However, as of Wednesday no other reports had been made to the McHenry County sheriff's office or Minot police.
Welstad said he also contacted the state Department of Transportation about the email and they also hadn't received any other complaints so far.
