Drivers targeted by new 'QUISHING' scam when parking their cars, warns RAC

Motorists across the UK are being urged to stay alert following a rise in fraudulent QR codes appearing on parking payment machines. The RAC has issued a warning to drivers, advising them to pay with cash, card, or official apps to avoid falling victim to this latest scam.

The scam, known as 'quishing', involves criminals sticking fake QR codes over those on council-owned parking machines. When drivers scan these codes, they are directed to counterfeit websites where their payment information is stolen.

Recent reports have highlighted a surge in these scams across various regions, including Barking and Dagenham, Northumberland, Northamptonshire, South Tyneside, and Pembrokeshire. In these areas, fake QR codes mimic the PayByPhone app, deceiving drivers into entering their card details on fraudulent sites. A similar incident was also reported in Lytham St Annes, where the MI Permit app was targeted.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “A car park is one of the last places where you’d expect to be caught out by online fraud. Unfortunately, the increasing popularity and ease of using QR codes appears to have made drivers more vulnerable to malicious scammers. For some, this sadly means a Quick Response code could in fact be a ‘quick route’ to losing money.

“As if this quishing scam isn’t nasty enough, it can also lead to drivers being caught out twice if they don’t realise they haven’t paid for parking and end up getting a hefty fine from the council.

“The safest course of action when paying for parking at a council-owned car park is to avoid using QR codes altogether. Most of these councils don’t even operate a QR code payment system, so if you’re in any doubt, steer well clear and only pay with cash, card or via an official app downloaded from your smartphone’s app store. This advice should also be applied to any mode of transport where you can pay via a QR code, including electric vehicle charge points and private car parks.

“This new wave of criminal activity is case in point for why the UK is in dire need of the National Parking Platform, which will allow everyone to use one app of their choice to pay for parking. As people are faced with a plethora of different payment apps depending on where they are in the country, it’s no wonder many resort to the convenience of using the QR codes they see on payment machines.”