UK car owners must be on high alert for a convincing new text message scam that claims they have unpaid parking fees. The fraudulent messages, purporting to be from ParkingEye, pressure recipients to act quickly to avoid penalty charges.
How the Scam Works
The text reads: "ParkingEye – Unpaid Parking Session Notice," stating the vehicle exited a car park the previous day and payment was not received. It then asks the recipient to enter their vehicle registration number to view the parking session.
The tech team at Express.co.uk received the message from a concerned reader and investigated by clicking the links and following on-screen instructions with fake details. Within seconds, a very official-looking webpage claimed £7.80 was owed for a recent stay, followed by a payment option via credit or debit card.
Why It's Convincing
What makes this scam concerning is how real it appears, with the payment website offering a slick and official appearance. ParkingEye is a genuine company that manages more than 4,000 sites across the country, adding to the scam's credibility.
Anyone receiving a similar message should delete it immediately and not enter any details, as this hands data over to cyber criminals.
Official Warnings
ParkingEye posted on its website: "We are aware of fraudulent text messages being sent to the public that pretend to come from ParkingEye. They claim you have an unpaid parking charge and pressure you to pay through a link. These messages are not from us."
They advise: "If you have received one, do not click the link, do not reply, and do not enter any details." If card details were entered, they urge contacting your bank immediately and monitoring statements for unrecognised transactions.
Councils Also Alert
Parking scams are growing in popularity, and many councils are urging vigilance. Uttlesford council warned: "We are warning anyone using our car parks and on-street parking not to respond to a text message stating that they have received a parking ticket. The text message is fake and is part of a national scam. Genuine tickets are issued in a yellow penalty charge notice wallet and will be put on your vehicle windscreen."
Ealing council's security team added: "We have been made aware of a scam text message falsely claiming you have an outstanding Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) or parking fine to pay. These messages are designed to trick you into clicking on malicious links that lead to fake websites, aiming to steal your personal details or money."
