People using York car parks have been warned about fake QR codes on signs and ticket machines put up as part of a scam which has cost victims up to £400.
The scam, which has targeted people across the country in recent weeks, sees people who have scanned the codes texted telling them they have been fined.
But City of York Council does not use QR codes for parking payments and does not issue penalty charge notices (PCNs) by text.
Cllr Katie Lomas, the authority’s finance spokesperson, said anyone who has come across a fake QR code or received a fine by text or email should contact its anti-fraud team.
It comes as codes have appeared in several council car parks in York including Bishopthorpe Road, Bootham Row, Castle, Marygate, Monk Bar, Nunnery Lane, St George’s Field and Union Terrace.
Many of them bear the logo of the PayByPhone parking service which does not use QR codes for payments.
Those who scan the codes are then directed to a bogus website asking for their card details which are then used to steal money from their bank accounts.
The scam has cost people up to £400 in some cases, according to the council’s Veritau anti-fraud team.
Council PCNs for parking fines are always either fixed to a vehicle, given to its owner in person or posted to them.
The council has said PCNs arriving in any other way should be treated with suspicion and car park users should not click links or disclose personal or payment information.
Anyone who suspects fraud can report it to Veritau by calling: 0800 9179 247 or visiting: fraud@york.gov.uk.
