WYCHAVON residents are being warned to be on their guard against fraudsters targeting them with parking scams.
Several residents have been tricked by a scam, which involves sending text messages informing the person they have been caught parking illegally before being requested to pay a fine.
The message also makes it seem as though payment is urgent, using phrases such as ‘final notice’ coupled with threats of court action if payment is not made promptly.
This is a common tactic used by scammers to panic people people into paying.
The council’s civil enforcement officers have also discovered fake QR codes stuck on official parking signage for the RingGo pay-by-mobile app in various car parks across Wychavon.
The codes direct people to a fake payment website, allowing fraudsters to steal persona; information and bank details.
This scam is becoming increasingly common and is known as ‘quishing’ with car park signage commonly targeted by criminals.
Councillor Emma Stokes, Wychavon’s Executive Board Member for Resources, Investment and Innovation, said: “To be absolutely clear, Wychavon will never send a parking fine by a text message or other digital means.
“If you receive a message like this, please report it. If you’re unsure, then please check with our parking team first.
“We don’t want any more of our residents to be caught out by these despicable fraudsters who are unfairly targeting law-abiding motorists and undermining confidence in legitimate parking enforcement.”
Advice for avoiding such scams
Wychavon is issuing the following advice to residents to help keep them safe.
The council has emphasised they do not issue parking fines by text message or by any other digital means. Official fines are placed on vehicles, handed to the driver by authorised staff or sent in the post. They will have details of how you can pay as well as how you can challenge the decision.
Wychavon has also explained that their RingGo signage does not include QR codes. Do not scan QR codes that have been stuck over official signage. If you are unsure about using a QR code, search directly for the app in the relevant app store or visit www.wychavon.gov.uk/parking and follow the links.
Residents are also advised to be wary of unsolicited text messages or emails, particularly ones suggesting a sense of urgency or correspondence demanding immediate payment. Also be cautious about scanning emails that contain QR codes.
Also keep an eye out for suspicious or unusual web addresses that don’t look right. If you’re unsure about a web address, do not click on it and contact Wychavon directly to check.
Support for scam victims
Suspicious emails can be reported to [email protected] for investigation by the National Cyber Security Centre. Suspicious text can be reported to mobile operators for free by forwarding them to 7726.
If you have been a victim of fraud, you can report it online at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.
