Don’t get stung by a fake parking fine – how to spot a scam and protect your money

Parking fine scams are catching drivers out across the UK. From dodgy texts to rigged ticket machines, here’s how to spot a fake and keep your cash safe.

Drivers are being warned about a surge in fake parking fines and clever scams designed to steal your cash.

Scammers are getting crafty. Across the UK, fraudsters are using everything from dodgy texts to tampered ticket machines to catch people out.

Get it wrong, and you could lose hundreds of pounds in minutes. Here’s what to look for and how to protect yourself.

1. Got a fine? Check for 3 things

Once you’re over the panic of seeing a yellow square on your windscreen or opening that letter when you’re in from work, there are three things you must look out for to see if the fine is legit.

Genuine parking notices always include:

• Your vehicle registration number
• The time of the offence
• The exact location it happened

If any of these are missing, it’s almost certainly a scam.

And for the record, real fines don’t come via text or email. You’ll either find them on your windscreen, be handed one directly, or get it through the post.

There are three types of notices you might get:

• Penalty Charge Notice – from councils
• Fixed Penalty Notice – usually from the police, often linked to speeding or traffic offences
• Parking Charge Notice – from private firms for breaching parking rules

Private parking charge notices aren’t the same as council fines. They’re actually invoices for breaking a company’s parking rules, and you don’t always have to pay them. Before handing over any cash, double-check your rights (see Euro Car Parks fine – can I ignore it?)

2. Texts and emails? Bin them

One of the most common tricks right now is a fake text or email saying you’ve got an “unpaid parking fine” and must pay immediately. These messages are designed to make you panic.

They usually:

• Include a dodgy link to a fake payment page
• Pretend to be from an official organisation
• Threaten that your licence could be revoked if you don’t pay

Newsflash: that’s not how it works.

3. Clicked a dodgy link? Here’s what to do

If you’ve already clicked, don’t beat yourself up — you’re not the first and you won’t be the last. But act fast:

• Restart your device – it can cut off any remote access
• Change your passwords – especially for accounts linked to your bank
• Call your bank – explain what happened so they can monitor for fraud

It’s also a good idea to run an antivirus scan to check for any hidden malware.

4. Check parking machines before paying

According to Action Fraud, scammers are now attaching “skimming” devices to parking machines to steal card details. These swipe your card details the second you tap to pay.

Before you tap your card, check:

• There aren’t any suspicious stickers or items around the payment area
• The logos and branding look genuine
• The reader doesn’t look bolted on or mismatched

If anything feels off, pay with cash or use a parking app instead.

Scammers are clever, but you can be cleverer. Take a breath before paying anything, double-check the details, and if something feels wrong, it probably is.