Motorists across a popular city have been warned of fraudulent QR codes appearing on council car parks after criminals targeted multiple locations across the city.
The scam affected Castle, Nunnery Lane, St George's Field, Bootham Row, Monk Bar, Marygate, Union Terrace and Bishopthorpe Road car parks during the summer months.
City of York Council issued the warning after discovering the fake stickers had been placed on signage and ticket machines.
The fraudulent codes often displayed the PayByPhone logo to appear legitimate, despite the payment service not using QR codes in car parks.
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Councillor Katie Lomas urged residents to report suspicious QR codes to the council's anti-fraud team to help crack down on cases.
The counterfeit QR codes redirect unsuspecting drivers to fraudulent websites designed to mimic the genuine PayByPhone platform.
Once victims land on these fake sites, they're prompted to enter their payment card details, which criminals then use to steal money from their accounts.
Reports submitted to Veritau indicate that some individuals have lost as much as £400 through these QR code scams.
The council warned drivers of a growing fraud trend surrounding fake QR codes
|CITY OF YORK
The fraudsters deliberately exploit the PayByPhone branding to create an illusion of legitimacy, even though the company doesn't utilise QR codes for parking payments.
The council emphasised that PayByPhone operates exclusively through its official app and doesn't employ QR code technology in any car parks.
Most councils prefer traditional payment machines or established mobile applications rather than QR-based systems.
A broader parking fine scam has emerged nationwide, with fraudsters sending text messages claiming recipients have received parking tickets.
The messages urge immediate payment through embedded links to avoid escalating penalties.
The City of York Council confirmed it never sends Penalty Charge Notices via text message.
Legitimate PCNs are either fixed to vehicles, handed directly to drivers or sent by post.
Any parking fines arriving through alternative methods should be treated with suspicion.
The council warned that fraudsters have been deliberately exploiting PayByPhone options
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The nationwide scam exploits motorists' concerns about mounting fines, pressuring them to act quickly without verifying the notice's authenticity.
Fraudsters deliberately create urgency to prevent victims from checking whether the penalty is genuine.
Councils across the country have reported similar schemes, with criminals harvesting personal information and payment details through fake penalty notices.
The DVLA recorded almost 20,000 reports of driving-related scams last year, highlighting the scale of fraudulent activity targeting motorists.
Criminals have developed increasingly sophisticated methods to deceive drivers, with some victims losing thousands of pounds.
John Wilmot, chief executive of car lease comparison website LeaseLoco, explained that fraudsters exploit drivers' fear of penalties.
The fake code directs drivers to fake payment portals | SHROPSHIRE COUNCIL"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.
The scams encompass various tactics, including fake DVLA communications claiming licences need updating or car tax payments have failed.
These messages attempt to harvest sensitive personal data from concerned motorists.
Motorists can protect themselves by using only official parking apps like RingGo and PayByPhone, avoiding any QR codes on parking equipment.
The DVLA stressed it never requests money or personal details through email or text, directing drivers to access services exclusively via the official gov.uk website.
When receiving parking notices, drivers should verify authenticity by contacting their local council's parking department directly.
Legitimate toll notifications come only from GOV.UK or verified operators such as TfL, M6 Toll, and Dart Charge for the Dartford Crossing.
Mr Wilmot emphasised the importance of pausing before making payments: "By taking a moment to verify the legitimacy of these alerts, you could save yourself from losing out on potentially thousands of pounds."