Q: Received an email claiming subpoena from Ashburn court, unsure if legitimate. How to verify?

A: Without reviewing the document, it would be difficult to assess the validity. That said, there is no District Court of the City of Ashburn. Ashburn is a location within Loudoun County, Va. but does not have a separate Court. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency that covers this region, and they do take reports of suspicious activity such as this electronically on their web site.

A: You’re right to be cautious about this email, especially since it came from a company you’ve never interacted with and the sender’s address doesn’t match any official government or court domain. Real subpoenas or legal requests from a district court are usually sent by mail or served in person, not by a generic email from a third-party training company. Official court documents will also clearly list the court’s address and contact information, and they never ask you to click on suspicious links.

It’s also a red flag that the email tries to create urgency with a deadline and references legal compliance, but doesn’t provide verifiable case details. The fact that you haven’t received anything directly from the District Court of Ashburn or been involved in any related legal matters is another sign that this is likely a phishing attempt.

Do not click any links or provide any personal information. You can contact the District Court of Ashburn directly by looking up their official contact details online (not through the email) and ask if there are any cases or subpoenas involving you. Mark the email as spam or phishing in your email provider to help protect yourself and others. Trust your instincts—legitimate court communications will never come in this form.