Hello everyone,
Now that we have burglary and flood messages out the way (for the moment at least?!) with a couple of nice jolly ones about a Winter Ball and how we might make a tidy sum from our old odds and ends around the place, sadly back to crime again now.
Parking our cars seems to be becoming a new growth area for scammers and, having been made aware in the recent past of issues revolving around dodgy QR codes being stuck onto some parking machines, I have now received this from the police which speaks for itself so something else to watch out for.
Thanks,
Michael
During recent Cybercrime awareness public engagement events across Devon and Cornwall, several attendees have reported receiving fraudulent parking fine notifications sent via text message and email.
How to Spot the Scam
As a general rule, real parking fines (Penalty Charge Notices) are never issued via a text or email message.
If you receive this sort of message, please look for these Red Flags:
Missing Details: The message won’t include your vehicle registration number, the specific car park / location, or the exact date/time of the incident.
False Urgency: They use “scare tactics,” threatening that the fine will double or triple if you don’t pay quickly.
Suspicious Links: They will urge you to click a link to “pay now.” These links lead to fake websites designed to steal your bank details.
What You Should Do
Do Not Click: Never click links in unexpected texts or emails.
Verify: If you are worried, check with your local council or the private parking firm directly using a trusted website or an independently verified phone number. NEVER call any phone numbers included in the original message.
Report It:
- Texts: Forward the message to 7726 (it’s free and alerts mobile providers).
- Emails: Forward to report@phishing.gov.uk.
- Fraud: Report to reportfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.
If you think you have lost money or given out sensitive financial information to scammers, immediately alert your bank / financial institution. Call them right away to inform them of the suspicious incident. You can quickly reach many UK banks’ fraud departments by calling 159