Parking scam warning over 'fines' for drivers that could cost you £100s
Drivers are being urged to stay vigilant after locals report receiving fake parking fines scamming them out of £100s.
Motorists are being warned about a parking ticket scam that could cost them hundreds of pounds.
Residents in South London have reported finding fake fines attached to their windscreens, which look identical to legitimate tickets.
Efforts to contact the supposed parking company have so far been unsuccessful.
One Peckham resident said: "After examining the ticket closely, it became clear that it was a fake, designed to deceive residents into paying fines to a bogus company."
He also revealed that several of his neighbours had also fallen victim to the scam, with some even renewing their parking permits or paying the fraudulent fines.
In Islington, one driver found a counterfeit ticket on his windscreen alongside a real one from the council.
The fake ticket bore the words "parking charge notice," while the genuine one read "penalty charge notice."
The notice demands payment of £120 "within the next 14 days" or a "discounted amount" of £60 for "early payments" within seven days.
A QR code on the ticket directs drivers to a website where they can enter a notice number and registration number.
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The phone number provided on the tickets directs users to a recorded message, instructing them to either email the company for an appeal or stay on the line.
A spokesperson for Southwark Council has stated: "We are aware of the issue and will be investigating further alongside informing the police. We would urge residents and visitors to remain vigilant and please report any suspicious parking tickets directly to the council's parking team to verify by emailing parking@southwark.gov.uk or calling 0800 138 9081, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Anyone who thinks they have been victim of a scam should contact their bank and the police as soon as possible."
Meanwhile, a representative for Islington Council said: "The council has not received any reports of these fake parking tickets.
"If someone believes that they have been given a fake parking ticket, they can get advice or report it to Trading Standards by contacting Citizens Advice or report it to Action Fraud."
