Beacon, NY Drivers Warn About Ticket Scam; Turns out They’re Real

Hudson Valley residents traveling through the Beacon, New York area have received what they thought were fake traffic citations in the mail. It turns out it's not a scam.

The City of Beacon Police Department says it has received messages from people who claim to have been targeted by scammers. The residents say that they were sent official-looking documents in the mail telling them that they've broken traffic laws and are being ordered to pay a fine.

After looking into the citations, police have given the residents the bad news that the tickets are indeed legitimate.

'Scam' Traffic Tickets in Beacon Turn Out to be Real

According to a message from the City of Beacon Police, the letters weren't a scam. Instead, they were real fines sent out to residents for blowing past stopped school buses.

Dutchess County runs a school bus safety program that utilizes cameras installed on school buses that record and send fines to the owners of vehicles that have been caught unsafely passing buses with red flashing lights.

While the City of Beacon does not have control over the program, they have confirmed that the tickets people are receiving are real. But, for residents who are unsure about the authenticity of these school bus fines, the police department shared some important information on how to tell if they are a scam.

How to Make Sure the Traffic Ticket You Receive Isn't a Scam

Police officials say that real traffic tickets coming from school bus safety cameras can be easily verified on the website printed on citations. Drivers can go to the site, insert the information from their ticket and view the video that shows their vehicle driving past a stopped school bus.

The tickets also include instructions on how to pay the fine or to enter a not guilty plea if it's not your vehicle in the video.

The City of Beacon Police note that these tickets do not include points against your license because, much like the automated speeding cameras that have popped up around the Hudson Valley, they can't determine who was actually behind the wheel at the time of the infraction.

While police have applauded residents for being concerned about scams, they're urging drivers to exercise caution when sharing the road with school buses and remember to stay alert for the presence of children.