US Authorities Warn of Fake QR Codes on Parking Meters
Legitimate parking meters use QR codes because they are extremely convenient. Drivers can simply scan these codes to park their vehicles and pay their parking fees without the need for parking attendants.
It’s the same convenience that fraudsters use to gain the trust of divers and phish for the financial information of unsuspecting victims. Authorities issue statements to be extra vigilant for QR code scams when parking your car and setting your parking fees.
While trying to park his car in San Clemente, California, Van Ingamson saw a QR code sign leading to a website where he could pay his parking dues.
"We punched in the URL. The URL - the first five on the Google search were fakes," he recalled. "It was a scam. It has the logo. It says 'passport parking.'"
Ingamson already entered his wife’s credit card information, only to realize something was wrong a few minutes later.
"[My wife's] credit card company, about two minutes after I put in my information, called her and said, 'We have unauthorized charges here,'" he added.
The situation with Ingamson isn’t an isolated case. He is one of the many victims of QR code fraud that have been reported across the US.
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Tampered QR codes in parking meters discovered in Redondo Beach, police confirms
Fake QR codes in parking meters were spotted in 150 slots along the Esplanade and Riviera Village area across Redondo Beach, California. The codes were glued next to legitimate ones from ParkMobile and PayByPhone.
Scanning these codes redirected drivers to a website named "poybyphone" instead of PayByPhone. As the difference is only one letter, the QR codes are unsuspecting, especially for drivers hurrying to park their cars.
City officials confirmed these QR code scam stickers have since been removed.
"If anyone feels that they have been defrauded, please contact the Redondo Beach Police Department at your earliest convenience to file a report," authorities said.
Austin Police Department reiterates that it doesn’t issue QR codes in parking meters
Paying via QR codes for banking is indeed more convenient than paying via coins, cards, or smartphone apps. Scammers took advantage of this to scam unsuspecting drivers who may not know that the City of Austin doesn’t issue QR codes.
The Austin Police Department warns of these bogus QR codes stuck onto public parking meters, which redirected drivers to a fraudulent website asking for payment details for the parking session.
It reiterates it doesn’t display QR codes and doesn’t accept payment via QR codes.
The City of Austin discovered these scams after reports of similar fraudulent codes in San Antonio, Texas.
Authorities note that it may be wiser to pay for parking meters via cash or a dedicated smartphone app, even if these methods aren’t necessarily the most convenient.
QR code scams in parking meters as a global problem
Fake QR codes in parking meters aren’t exclusive to the United States; in fact, many cities worldwide are also facing scam challenges.
US’ neighbor up north, Canada, in the City of Ottawa, warns drivers of various QR code scam targeting several city parking spots. Like the City of Austin, it doesn’t issue QR codes, either.
Ottawa’s QR code scams were concentrated mostly in dense areas, such as downtown and Vanier. The first cases of fraudulent codes were first spotted during a routine inspection by the city’s manager of parking services, Scott Caldwell, in August 2024.
"This finding prompted a thorough investigation, during which all City of Ottawa Pay & Display parking machines across the city were inspected.
As a result, we identified 51 tampered-with machines on Rideau Street, the ByWard Market, and Vanier areas," Caldwell said.
All spotted fake QR codes have been removed. Anyone who can still spot a machine with a QR code sticker is encouraged to report it on 311.
Risks to personal information with fake QR codes
The widespread availability of QR code makers online has indirectly led to the rise in QR code scams. While this tool is useful and beneficial for many industries, malicious actors use these tools to risk the personal information of users.
While most scammers simply want to pocket your parking fees, some malicious actors aim to steal your identity and use it for fraudulent transactions. This subjects you to legal consequences, such as possible payment damages or jail time.
Rhonda Perkins of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said, "We definitely want people aware that this type of scam is out there."
"It could be that they send you to a website that's phony, that installs malware on your device, or they're trying to steal your information and make you think that you're on a real website and ask for personal information," she said.
The FTC issues cautionary statements that when using QR codes, make it a habit to check the website it leads to, look for misspellings, or spot switched letters (one can easily spot if it’s made with a reliable free QR code generator through the extracted link).
Moreover, local authorities encourage victims of QR code scams to file a police report and inform their bank immediately. They also encourage people to call the police if someone who is not a badged employee appears to be tampering with parking meter QR codes.
