Drivers 'must' ignore text message landing in their phones
Drivers have been warned of new parking scams in popular city. Drivers should only pay for penalties issued by authorised places, Southend-on-Sea City Council has warned, as the local authority says it does not text penalties.
The scams involve drivers being sent a text telling them they have been issued a parking ticket. The council said: “We are aware of a scam where people are receiving text messages stating they have a Penalty Charge Notice and a link to pay.
“Hands resting on a table holding a mobile phone. This is a scam, Southend-on-Sea City Council will never text you about a PCN. You will only receive a PCN as a physical ticket on your vehicle or a letter to the registered keeper address associated with the vehicle.
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“Please ignore these texts and do not click the link to make a payment.” Rhydian Jones, a car insurance expert from Confused.com warned the rise of parking apps “could expose drivers to scams, with criminals taking advantage of their rise in popularity” he warned.
Jones added: “If you see QR code or sticker covering other information on a machine, don’t scan it. The likelihood is that it will take you to a fraudulent website where there could be a danger of your money being taken. And if you’re unsure at all, ring the number on the machine or use the parking app on your phone to pay by other means, and avoid these stickers.”
Experts at Which? stated: “If you receive an unexpected text message, don't be tempted to click on any links or follow instructions to log into any accounts. Links can contain malware that could infect your device and lead to scammers doing further damage.
“If you're concerned that you've clicked a dodgy link, you should perform a factory reset on your device and consider installing antivirus software. Do not log into any accounts until you have done so.”