How to avoid parking QR code scams
A QR code on a parking machine can look official and still lead to a fake payment page. Here is what to look for and what to do instead.
Verify › Guides › How to avoid parking QR code scams · Last updated 19/10/2026
How the scam works
A scammer places a sticker with their own QR code over the genuine one on a pay-and-display machine or sign. When you scan it, you are taken to a page that looks like a parking payment site but is not. It may ask for your card details, or take a payment that never reaches the car park operator, so you can end up with a parking charge as well.
Signs a code may have been tampered with
- The sticker looks raised, crooked or is peeling at the edges.
- It sits on top of another code or printed notice.
- The machine or sign looks different from others nearby.
- The page it opens asks for more than a vehicle registration, location and payment.
- The web address does not match the operator or council named on the sign.
What to do instead of scanning
- Use the parking app that your council or operator names on the official signage, typed in or installed from an app store by you.
- Look for a location number on the machine and enter it in the app yourself.
- Pay at the machine with a card or cash if it still accepts them.
- If you are unsure, ask the operator or council using details from their official website.
Check a code with Verify
If you do scan a code, check where it leads before you enter anything. Open Verify, choose the QR or link check and paste the address. You get a traffic light and a plain-English reason. Verify gives guidance only and cannot guarantee a page is genuine.
If you have paid or shared details
- Contact your bank straight away and tell them what happened.
- Report the sticker to the council or car park operator so it can be removed.
- Report fraud to the Report Fraud service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or call Police Scotland on 101.
- Forward scam texts to 7726, and suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
Check a QR code, link or phone number
Common questions
How can I tell if a parking QR code is fake?
Look for a sticker placed over the original, uneven edges, or a web address that does not match the operator named on the sign. If anything looks wrong, do not scan it.
Is it safe to pay for parking by QR code?
Some genuine car parks use QR codes, but a code can be tampered with. Using the operator's official app, typed or installed by you, avoids relying on a code on a sign.
Who do I report a fake parking QR code to?
Tell the council or car park operator so it can be removed, and report fraud through Report Fraud (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or Police Scotland on 101.
More guides
- How to check if a QR code is safe
- How to spot a scam link
- Is this phone number a scam?
- Got a missed delivery text? What to do
- QR codes in emails and PDFs: what to check
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Verify gives guidance only and cannot guarantee that any link, code or number is safe. If something feels wrong, trust that feeling and check another way.