The Douglas County District Court clerk is warning Douglas County residents of an email scam.

The clerk has been notified that residents may have received emails notifying them that they must appear in court. The email purports to be from the “Clerk to the Court” and directs the recipient to open an attached file for further information.

These emails are part of a widespread scam, the clerk said in a news release Tuesday, and are not from the District Court clerk. The claims in the messages are not valid and the attached file should not be opened. Anyone who receives the email should delete it immediately without opening the attachment.

Residents who receive these emails should report them to the district attorney’s Consumer Protection Division at 785-330-2849. They may also contact the clerk of the District Court at 785-832-5256 to verify hearing dates on pending litigation.