Local drivers are being urged to remain vigilant when paying for parking following reports of a new scam targeting council-run car parks.
Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (TMBC) has issued a warning after fraudulent QR code stickers were discovered on parking payment machines, specifically at the Angel car park.
How the scam works
Scammers are attaching stickers featuring QR codes directly onto the signage of official parking machines. When scanned by a smartphone, these codes direct the user to a fraudulent payment website designed to steal banking details.
To the untrained eye, these stickers can look like a legitimate way to pay for parking, especially as digital payments become more common.
Official advice: No QR codes on council machines
TMBC has made it clear that they do not display QR codes on any of their parking machines.
If you see a QR code sticker on a payment machine in a council-run car park, you can be certain it is a fake. The council is currently in the process of checking all machines across the borough and removing any stickers they find.
What to do if you are affected
If you believe you may have scanned one of these codes and entered your payment details, you should contact your bank immediately.
You are also advised to report the incident to Action Fraud. You can do so via their website here: Action Fraud Reporting Tool
Please share this information with friends and family who park in the town center to ensure they don’t get caught out by this scam.
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