Parking-Ticket / E-Citation Phish
A fake parking ticket or e-citation — by text, email, or a QR sticker on a meter — links to a bogus payment page that steals your card.
Think a message like this reached you? You can check it right now.
What this scam is
You receive a text/email about an unpaid parking ticket, or scan a QR code on a parking meter or a 'ticket' on your windshield, and are taken to a convincing but fake payment page that captures your card and personal details. Real parking citations are issued by your city with official payment portals; unexpected 'pay your parking fine' texts and unofficial QR codes are the warning signs. Fraudulent QR stickers placed over real meter codes are increasingly common (see quishing).
What it usually looks like
- A 'pay your parking ticket' text/email or windshield notice.
- A QR code on a meter or 'ticket' to pay.
- A payment page not on the city's official site.
- Urgency about late fees or towing.
Common warning signs
- Parking-fine payment links from texts/emails.
- QR codes on meters or windshield 'tickets.'
- Payment pages that aren't the official city portal.
- Pressure about escalating penalties.
Example wording scammers use
“Unpaid parking citation #88231 — pay within 48 hours to avoid a late fee: cityparking-pay.net”
“Scan to pay your parking (QR sticker on the meter).”
These are illustrative examples written by ScamSplain, not real messages.
What the scammers want
- Your card and personal details.
- To exploit parking-fine anxiety.
- To hijack meter payments via QR.
What to do
- Pay parking tickets only through your city's official portal (look it up).
- Be wary of QR codes on meters/windshields; verify the site before paying.
- Don't pay via links in unexpected texts/emails.
- Report fake citations/QR stickers to the city.
What to do if you already responded
- Call your card issuer and dispute charges.
- Verify any real citation with the city.
- Report at reportfraud.ftc.gov.