Drivers urged never to pay for parking using QR codes

A spike in the number of QR code scams at public car parks has led to a warning to drivers to be extremely vigilant when trying to pay for parking.

The scam known as ‘quishing’ – where fake QR codes are used to lure people into handing over personal details or make payments to fraudsters – has been around for a while. However, a recent spike in the number of car parks being targeted has led the RAC to suggest drivers should avoid QR codes altogether and stick to traditional payment methods like cash or bank cards, or the official apps of companies operating car parks.

Car parks are being targeted as it’s easy for fraudsters to stick a fake label on official car park payment machines, inviting unsuspecting drivers to pay using a QR code scanned by their mobile phone. This will typically lead victims to a web page set up by fraudsters, sometimes designed to look like an official page from the authorised parking provider, encouraging them to set up accounts by sharing private bank details and other information. This subsequently allows unscrupulous fraudsters to use those details and run up bills from their victims’ accounts, potentially amounting to thousands of pounds, while the unsuspecting victims are initially none the wiser.

According to RAC head of policy Simon Williams, drivers are especially susceptible to QR code fraud as a car park is one of the last places you’d expect to be scammed. 

“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 says.

“The safest course of action when paying for parking at a council-owned car park is to avoid using QR codes altogether. Most of these councils don’t even operate a QR code payment system, so if you’re in any doubt, steer well clear and only pay with cash, card or via an official app downloaded from your smartphone’s app store. 

If using a QR code is the only payment method available, it’s advisable to take steps to try and keep yourself safe. Check to make sure the code label hasn’t been stuck on over official information, and make sure the payment website has a secure URL – although scammers have been known to use supposedly secure https:// website URLs to look more convincing.

How do you usually pay for car parking? Let us know in the comments section...