Scammers have found a new way to scam money out of unsuspecting drivers – police tell drivers what to look for before paying.
Police I want drivers to know that there are no legal repercussions for not paying.
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Scammers in Alhambra, California, have been tricking drivers into paying parking tickets that appear to be from the city.
The fake tickets will have a QR code that drivers can scan to pay “Alhambra City” through a fake website asking for bank and credit card information.
To make them even more convincing, the fake citation will also include vehicle information, such as the VIN, and the reason for the citation.
“Scammers create QR codes to trick people into visiting a fraudulent website or downloading malware that compromises their personal information,” the Alhambra Police Department wrote in Instagram.
The police department reminded drivers in the area that the department’s legitimate tickets are very different from fake citations.
In the same post, the secretariat showed a photo of a real ticket.
The APD citation is yellow and comes in an envelope with the address of the city’s Finance Department.
This allows users to send a check to the department if they wish, rather than just using a credit card like the fake citation.
The scammer’s note looks like a long receipt and does not come in an envelope.
Additionally, APD noted that the city allows people to pay online, but the website ends in .org, not .com.
“Remember, we will only direct you to our secure city website: www.cityofalhambra.org,” the department continued.
Lastly, drivers who aren’t sure if they received a legitimate ticket can check the city’s parking database and enter their VIN to double-check.
Or, the department says, the finance department is just a phone call away.
“If you’re not sure, don’t hesitate to contact us!” they wrote.
Ultimately, after drivers check their city’s database and no records indicate a citation was issued, there are no legal repercussions for dismissing the ticket and not paying the fine.
A resident who prided himself on being able to spot scams admitted the scammer’s fine is convincing.
How to spot a fake parking ticket
Thieves sometimes go to great lengths to extract money from drivers
With parking ticket scams on the rise, it’s important to know how to tell the difference between a fake ticket and a legitimate one.
Many parking enforcement agencies, like those employed by cities, will never ask people to pay their fares through apps like Venmo, PayPal or Zelle.
A QR code should always alert drivers as they often lead to fake payment sites created by scammers to access banking or personal information.
It’s also wise to pay close attention to logos, as some scammers even use fake logos close enough to a city’s official logo, fooling those who don’t look closely.
Emails or text messages about parking tickets should always be ignored, as most parking enforcement agencies will never use these means to collect a debt.
Other useful tips for spotting fake citations:
- Do some research into the car park you are parking in, as it is legally required to post signs to inform drivers of who is enforcing the parking rules.
- Carefully examine the citation for any flaws – misspellings, incorrect logos, links, QR codes, etc.
- Review the contact information on the ticket. Sites belonging to cities will always end in .gov.
- Finally, pay by card as it is easier to dispute an illegal charge. Avoid sending checks or cash for a suspicious parking ticket.
- Check a city’s ticket database to see if you were cited by an official.
Source: CBS affiliate WHNT
“Wow, I’m normally pretty good at spotting scams, but I’d probably fall for this one,” the user wrote.
“This sucks for all the people they scammed. Thanks for letting us know.”
Someone wrote that scammers may have an easier time not resorting to scams.
“At this point, wouldn’t it be easier to get a real job than trying to cheat?” they asked.
The post made another driver realize he may have been scammed in the past.
“I remember the DMV used to use third parties to process online payments,” they wrote.
“I could have fallen for it even though it was a .com address.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
