Crime alert
The Rice County Sheriff’s Office is asking everyone to be alert to a new scam hitting our area. This is another form of mail fraud where you receive mail asking you to pay a fine for a traffic violation. The latest scam states that you were caught on a DOT camera for a traffic violation. The State of Minnesota does not currently allow photograph traffic enforcement, excluding body cameras or mobile vehicle cameras that are fixed to an officer or a squad car.
If you were to receive a legitimate traffic citation in the mail for a violation, it would direct you to contact Court Administration for a court date or to pay the State Payment center based out of Willmar, MN. If you feel you have received a fraudulent item asking you to mail your fine or pay by credit card, please reach out to your local law enforcement to confirm it is an authentic citation.