A QR codeparking meter scam has been reported at several tourist hotspots across
the UK.
People have been warned to stay “alert” to a parking meter scam which appeared at coastal car parking machines in Northumberland, the south of England and the north of Wales.
Fake QR codes were found being used on meters at Llandudno and Colwyn Bay at the
weekend.
Portsmouth City Council also received reports that a fraudulent QR code was placed by
scammers on a parking machine last month.
When drivers scanned the code they were taken to a fake website, which prompted them to
put in their personal banking details.
Victims would then be at risk of parking fines, as they may not realise they haven’t paid for
parking, instead using a fake link.
The unofficial websites mimicked the site of parking application RingGo, making it hard to
detect the scam.
QRCodescams, also known as “quishing”, are scams that involve the creation of malicious
barcodes to deceive users.
Portsmouth council’s officers removed any unauthorised notices and the police were
notified.
Councillor Peter Candlish told the BBC: “We urge everyone to stay alert and use only official
sources to prevent giving away their payment details.
“It’s crucial for people to use the official RingGo app to pay for parking in Portsmouth to
avoid falling for scams like fake QR codes.”
Similar scams were seen in Dorset last month at several beach car parks, targeting summer
tourists.
Victims have been advised to contact their bank to stop further funds being taken.
Anyone who finds a code has been asked to flag it up with the National Cyber Security
Centre.