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Warning over QR code parking scam

Stuart Woodward
BBC News, Essex
Stuart Woodward/BBC On the right is a sign which shows a pay with parking app, and different logos directing to places. In the background you can see a road in Southend. Stuart Woodward/BBC
Southend-on-Sea City Council said it did not print QR codes on its parking signage

Motorists have been warned not to scan fraudulent QR codes which have appeared on car park signage.

Southend-on-Sea City Council said it had already removed about 100 of the falsified QR codes since Tuesday evening.

The scam is known as quishing, in which people are directed to malicious websites.

Daniel Cowan, the Labour council leader, told the BBC: "We just want to encourage people to be vigilant."

The local authority said it did not use QR codes on any of its parking machines, parking signs or for any pay-by-phone mobile apps.

It said adverts for the Southend Pass were the only exception.

Stuart Woodward/BBC Daniel Cowan is seen on the left hand side of the screen. He has brown hair, a brown and ginger beard, and it wearing glasses, looking towards the camera. Stuart Woodward/BBC
Cowan said people should be vigilant, by not scanning the QR codes on any of the council's parking machines

The council added that it was aware of a second scam, where people had been sent text messages stating they had received a penalty charge notice [PCN].

"Southend-on-Sea City Council will never text you about a PCN," a council spokesperson said.

"Please ignore these texts and do not click the link to make a payment."

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