Image of scam warning signs
Barnet residents and visitors are urged to stay vigilant before and after parking in the borough after a triple whammy of scams targeting drivers were identified by the council.
One scam involves one or more people causing a distraction while you are paying for parking, stealing your card, then claiming it has been swallowed by the machine. Sometimes they will claim you should use another card, and then repeat their crime. It is not possible for your card to be swallowed by a council parking machine.
Another scam involves a fake QR code being stuck over parking signs. When scanned, they take users to bogus websites that mimic official ones, asking for payment and trying to steal your card details. Drivers can avoid this scam by downloading the official PayByPhone app to pay for parking in Barnet. This app can be found via trusted sources such as the iOS App Store, Google Play Store, Huawei App Gallery, or via the website directly: www.paybyphone.co.uk.
The Leader of Barnet Council, Cllr Barry Rawlings, said: “We know that scammers operate all over the capital, and all over the country, and that includes Barnet. So, we want to make our residents and visitors aware of the types of scams, so they can stay vigilant. By being aware of them – and how to avoid them – it can stop them from happening.”
A third scam is where drivers receive an SMS text message informing them they’ve received a PCN parking fine and directing them to a bogus website to pay it. Barnet Council does not send SMS messages about PCN parking fines; any that are issued by Barnet Council will either be left on the windscreen of the vehicle or issued via post. Any payment reminders will also be sent via post.
If you think you have fallen victim to any scam – parking-related or otherwise – contact your bank immediately, phone police on 101 and report the fraud at: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/.