Coventry City Council has received reports of fraudulent Penalty Charge Notices around the city.
These notices contain fake QR codes are designed to trick users into entering their payment details on bogus websites.
Scammers use these sites to steal payment information, potentially causing financial loss and parking fines for unsuspecting motorists.
Similar scam notices have been found in other areas of the country. When a motorist scans the fake QR code, they are in danger of having money taken, and it also may expose them to parking fines as they may not be aware that they haven’t purchased parking in the right way.
Trading Standards urge everyone to stay alert and only use official payment channels to prevent giving away their payment details. Upon receiving a PCN, residents can pay via the Council’s Official Website, by phone or in person at our Customer Service Centre.
If people come across a fake QR code or website that they believe is fraudulent, they can report it to the National Cyber Security Centre, and anyone who has fallen victim to this kind of scam is advised to contact their bank to stop any further funds being taken.
Consumers can get free and impartial advice regarding their rights from the national Citizen’s Advice service, who can be contacted on 0800 144 8848 or via https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer.