Motorists in the City of York are being urged to stay vigilant following the emergence of a parking scam involving fraudulent QR codes placed on council car park signage and ticket machines. According to the City of York Council, criminals targeted numerous locations across the city, including popular car parks such as Castle, Nunnery Lane, St George’s Field, Bootham Row, Monk Bar, Marygate, Union Terrace, and Bishopthorpe Road.
Fraudulent QR Codes Mimic Legitimate Payment Systems
The scam involves fake QR code stickers that often display the logo of PayByPhone, a legitimate parking payment service, to create an illusion of authenticity. However, the council clarified that PayByPhone does not use QR codes for parking payments. Unsuspecting drivers who scan these codes are redirected to fraudulent websites that resemble the genuine PayByPhone platform. Once there, victims are prompted to enter their payment card details, which are subsequently used by criminals to steal funds.
The council confirmed that some victims reported losses of up to £400 due to the scam. Councillor Katie Lomas emphasized the importance of vigilance and encouraged residents to report any suspicious QR codes to the council’s anti-fraud team to combat such fraudulent activities.
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Broader Trend of Parking-Related Scams
The City of York Council’s warning comes amid a rise in scams targeting motorists across the United Kingdom. A similar fraud tactic involves text messages falsely claiming that recipients have received parking fines. These messages urge immediate payment through embedded links, creating a sense of urgency to discourage victims from verifying the authenticity of the notice. The council reiterated that it does not issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) via text message, emphasizing that legitimate PCNs are either affixed to vehicles, handed directly to drivers, or mailed to the registered vehicle owner.
John Wilmot, chief executive of car lease comparison website LeaseLoco, explained the psychological tactics employed by fraudsters. "A lot of these scams will urge you to quickly pay a fee to avoid facing bigger fines. When we see something like this, we often rush to get the payment done rather than stopping and checking the legitimacy of the message or letter", he said.
Nationwide Impact of Scams Targeting Motorists
The parking scam is part of a larger trend of fraudulent activities aimed at drivers. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) recorded nearly 20,000 reports of driving-related scams last year. These schemes often involve fake communications from the DVLA, such as claims that licenses need updating or car tax payments have failed, with the intent to harvest sensitive personal data.
Motorists are advised to use only official parking apps like RingGo and PayByPhone, and to avoid scanning any QR codes on parking equipment. Additionally, drivers should verify the authenticity of any parking notices by contacting their local council’s parking department directly. The DVLA also emphasized that it never requests payments or personal information via email or text and directs drivers to its official gov.uk website for all services.
By taking precautions and verifying the legitimacy of payment requests, drivers can protect themselves from falling victim to these sophisticated scams. As Mr. Wilmot noted, "By taking a moment to verify the legitimacy of these alerts, you could save yourself from losing out on potentially thousands of pounds."
The City of York Council and other local authorities across the UK continue to work toward raising awareness and preventing further incidents of fraud targeting motorists.
