The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has warned the public that fraudsters are sending out scam parking texts to motorists.
The text tells the driver that they need to pay a fake DVSA ‘parking penalty charge’.
The DVSA doesn’t issue or deal with parking or fines, and advises drivers to report scam text messages to the National Cyber Security Centre.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has warned the public that fraudsters are sending out scam parking texts to motorists which tell drivers to pay a ‘parking penalty charge’
The text message warns people that they have a ‘parking penalty charge’, and that if they do not pay on time, that they might be banned from driving, have to pay more or be taken to court.
The text message reads: ‘Dvsa notice for you: You have a parking penalty charge due on 2024/9/30.
‘If you do not pay your fine on time, Your car may be banned from driving, you might haeve [sic] to pay more, or you could be taken to court.
‘Please enter your license plate in the link after reading the information, Check and pay parcking [sic] penatly charge. Thank you again for your copperation [sic]. Dvsa.’
As well as the DVSA not dealing with fines – the DVSA is the UK’s road safety and education body that oversees driving tests – other clues that the text is a scam include spelling mistakes and incorrect punctuation.
Fake: This is an image of the scam text that people have been receiving
Advice to motorists to protect against parking text scammers
If you receive a text like this then you can report scam text messages to the National Cyber Security Centre.
You don’t need to contact DVSA if you have received the text message – it is a matter for the Cyber Security Centre.
If you’ve been tricked into sharing personal information with a scammer, you should take immediate steps to protect yourself by contacting the police.
You should also inform your bank, if you have provided those details.
If you’ve lost money or have been hacked as a result of responding to a suspicious text message, report it to the police immediately: at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040 (in England, Wales or Northern Ireland). Or call 101 in Scotland for Police Scotland.
Rise of parking scams
Target: An example of a scam QR codes stuck on display machines and tariff boards across Lytham St Annes, Lancs
This is just the latest parking scam, with This is Money recently reporting on the rise of fake QR parking code fraudsters.
‘Quishing’ is the growing criminal activity of placing fake QR codes on payment machines in car parks to defraud unsuspecting drivers by duping them into entering credit and debit card information into fake websites.
Councils and parking operators switching to cashless payment systems has accelerating the problem.
In July and August, there was a big spike in false QR codes on parking machines in Barking and Dagenham, Northumberland, Northamptonshire, South Tyneside and Pembrokeshire, which all appear to use the PayByPhone app to collect parking payments.
Brazen: Scammers have stuck a printed QR code on a parking sign – and if you’re in a rush you might be caught out
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: ‘A car park is one of the last places where you’d expect to be caught out by online fraud.
‘Unfortunately, the increasing popularity and ease of using QR codes appears to have made drivers more vulnerable to malicious scammers.
‘For some, this sadly means a quick response code could in fact be a ‘quick route’ to losing money.
‘As if this quishing scam isn’t nasty enough, it can also lead to drivers being caught out twice if they don’t realise they haven’t paid for parking and end up getting a hefty fine from the council,’ Williams went on, adding that the ‘safest course of action is to avoid using QR codes altogether.
I’m a cybersecurity expert – here’s how to beat the car park scammers
NordVPN, the virtual private network service provider, found that three-quarters of Britons do not check QR codes before scanning, and only one in six drivers are aware that QR scams are even possible.
Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, said: ‘In our increasingly digital landscape, even something as straightforward as a car park may need you to use a smartphone to pay.
‘It is welcome news to see the RAC raising awareness of the issue, but we need to see car park companies taking decisive action to monitor and clamp down on these scams.
‘Before scanning a QR code at a car park, ensure it originates from a reputable source and verify with the venue that it belongs to them.
‘Look for a padlock symbol in the URL box on your smartphone’s web browser that will indicate the system is using a secure server.
‘For added security, ditch your camera app and consider using a dedicated QR code scanning app, as these can often detect malicious sites or software.
‘If a QR code redirects you to an unrelated or suspicious website, refrain from providing personal information and exit the page immediately. You could also try calling the car park company to double-check if you are unsure.
‘Paying by credit card is another sensible precaution, as credit card companies are obliged to refund you unless they can prove that you are trying to defraud them.’
Have you fallen victim to a QR scam? Email editor@thisismoney.co.uk
1. Check to see if it has been stuck onto the parking payment machine. Tell-tale signs are the code looking too big or if it partially obscures official information underneath
2. Make sure the payment website’s URL is secure and is the official site for the company you want to pay. Look out for a padlock symbol and an address that begins with https://
3. If you’re concerned you’ve used a false code, check your bank statement and banking app for any suspicious transactions
4. If someone calls you claiming to work for your bank, ask for a reference number, then phone your bank’s actual number from a letter they have sent or from their official website. Never ring the number the caller gives you over the phone or via email
Source: RAC
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