Court Summons Scam Email UK: How to Spot Fake HMCTS Messages
Scammers are impersonating the UK court system with fake summons emails — here's how to tell the real thing from a fraud.
What is this scam?
The court summons scam involves fraudsters sending emails that appear to come from HMCTS (His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service). The email claims you have an unpaid fine, missed court appearance, or a legal case against you — and demands you act immediately. Scammers use official-looking logos, court language, and urgent language ('Your case number is...', 'Fine of £...' or 'Arrest warrant pending') to create panic. They may claim you owe money for a traffic offence, council tax debt, or civil case.
The real goal is to trick you into clicking a malicious link, downloading an infected attachment, or handing over personal and financial details. Some variants ask you to pay a fine via bank transfer or card, while others try to harvest your login credentials or install malware on your device.
Warning signs to look for
- The email comes from a free provider like Gmail or Yahoo, or a generic domain — genuine HMCTS email usually comes from a justice.gov.uk address, so a free-provider sender is a strong red flag (though a gov-looking address can be spoofed, so never treat the sender alone as proof).
- You're asked to click a link to 'confirm details', 'pay online', or 'view your case' — HMCTS never asks this via email.
- The message uses urgent language ('act within 24 hours' or 'arrest warrant') to panic you into acting without thinking.
- The email address you received it on doesn't match any legal cases or courts you know about — scammers often send mass emails.
- There are spelling mistakes, odd grammar, or awkward phrasing that wouldn't appear in official court correspondence.
- You're asked to pay a fine via bank transfer, iTunes card, or cryptocurrency — real courts accept payments through official portals only.
- The email has generic greetings like 'Dear Customer' instead of your actual name, or doesn't reference a specific case number or court.
- Links in the email point to suspicious websites with misspelled domain names (e.g. 'hmcts-courts.co.uk' instead of the real gov.uk address).
How this scam works step by step
The scam typically starts with an email landing in your inbox that mimics HMCTS formatting and branding. The message claims you owe money, have missed a court date, or face legal action. To increase urgency, scammers often cite specific amounts or case numbers to sound credible. When you click the link in the email, you're taken to a fake website that looks almost identical to the real HMCTS portal. Here, you're asked to 'verify your identity' by entering your full name, date of birth, address, bank details, or login credentials.
Some variants ask you to download a PDF 'court order' or 'fine notice' — this file contains malware that can steal passwords or lock your device. Once the scammer has your data, they can use it for identity theft, access your bank account, or sell your details to other criminals. If you're tricked into paying, the money goes straight to a fraudulent account and is almost impossible to recover.
How to verify if it is genuine
If you receive an email claiming to be from HMCTS, do not click any links or download attachments. Instead, open a new browser tab and go directly to the official HMCTS website (www.justice.gov.uk or www.gov.uk/courts). Check the email sender's address carefully — genuine court and HMCTS email often uses a justice.gov.uk address, and a Gmail, Outlook, or other free-provider sender is a strong red flag.
But be aware a gov-looking sender address can be spoofed, so don't treat the address alone as proof — verify the claim using the official court contact details on GOV.UK rather than anything in the email. If you think you might have a court case, you can search the HMCTS portal using your name and date of birth to verify any claims. Never call the number listed in a suspicious email — instead, find the official court contact details on the gov.uk website and call them directly.
If you're unsure whether a fine or case is real, contact Citizens Advice (0808 223 1133) or your local court directly. For more guidance on spotting fake emails, see our guide on identifying fraudulent websites at Is This Website a Scam? A Practical Checklist Before You Buy.
What to do if you have already interacted
If you've clicked a link or downloaded an attachment from the email, take action immediately. First, do not enter any personal, financial, or login information into the fake website. If you've already provided data, change your passwords immediately — especially for email, banking, and government accounts. Run a full antivirus scan on your device using reputable software (Windows Defender, Malwarebytes, or Norton) to check for installed malware. Contact your bank straight away if you've shared card details or bank account information — they can block fraudulent transactions and issue a new card if necessary.
Check your credit report via TransUnion, Experian, or Equifax to spot any fraudulent accounts opened in your name. Report the scam to Action Fraud (0300 123 2040 or www.actionfraud.police.uk), the NCSC Suspicious Email Reporting Service (report@phishing.gov.uk), and forward the email to Citizens Advice. If money was sent, tell your bank straight away: since 7 October 2024 most UK banks and payment firms are required to reimburse victims of authorised push payment (APP) fraud — where you were tricked into authorising the payment yourself — in most cases, especially if you report it quickly.
Reporting this scam in the UK
Report fake HMCTS emails to multiple agencies to help protect others. Call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or report online at www.actionfraud.police.uk — keep a record of your crime reference number. Send the fraudulent email to the NCSC Suspicious Email Reporting Service at report@phishing.gov.uk; they track phishing campaigns and can take action against fake websites. If you received the scam via SMS text message instead of email, forward it to 7726 (spells 'SPAM'). Contact Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 if you need support understanding what happened or claiming back money.
Forward the scam email to the NCSC’s Suspicious Email Reporting Service at report@phishing.gov.uk, and report it to Action Fraud so the HMCTS impersonation is on record. Report the fake website URL to the Internet Watch Foundation if it's still active. The more reports received, the faster scammers' websites are taken down.
Frequently asked questions
Is HMCTS a legitimate organisation, or is all contact from them a scam?
HMCTS (His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service) is completely legitimate — it's the official court system in England and Wales. However, scammers frequently impersonate it via email. Genuine HMCTS contact usually comes from a justice.gov.uk email address and never asks you to click links, download attachments, or provide sensitive details via email — but because a sender address can be spoofed, don't rely on it alone as proof. If in doubt, ignore the email and contact your local court directly using a phone number from the official gov.uk website.
What should I do if I already sent money to the scammers?
Contact your bank or payment provider immediately and tell them you've been scammed — they may be able to stop or reverse the payment. Provide them with bank details of the fraudulent account if you have them. Register with your bank's fraud team and ask for a new card and account monitoring. Report the scam to Action Fraud (0300 123 2040) within 24 hours if possible. Since 7 October 2024 most UK banks and payment firms are required to reimburse victims of authorised push payment (APP) fraud — where you were tricked into authorising the payment yourself — in most cases, so you are entitled to be reimbursed unless you were grossly negligent; raise the claim within 13 months and report it as quickly as you can.
What should I do if I've already entered my personal details into the fake website?
Change your passwords immediately for email, banking, and any government service accounts (like Universal Credit or HMRC). Monitor your credit file regularly using TransUnion, Experian, or Equifax to spot identity fraud. Register for Cifas Protective Registration (cifas.org.uk) to flag your credit file, so lenders check carefully before opening accounts in your name. Contact your bank and tell them your details may be compromised so they can watch for suspicious activity. Run a full antivirus and malware scan on your device. Report the incident to Action Fraud and the NCSC as soon as possible. Consider adding your phone number and email to the Telephone Preference Service and Mail Preference Service to reduce phishing attempts.
How do I report a fake HMCTS email?
Forward the email to the NCSC Suspicious Email Reporting Service at report@phishing.gov.uk and report it to Action Fraud via phone (0300 123 2040) or online at www.actionfraud.police.uk. If it came as a text message, forward it to 7726. Also forward the scam email to the NCSC at report@phishing.gov.uk so the impersonation can be investigated. Keep copies of everything — screenshots, email headers, and the full email — as evidence for your report.