Be Careful As a £60 "Scam" QR Code Notice Emerges in North East Parking Lots

Unofficial signs requesting payment from vehicles via a QR code have appeared in a number of North East parking lots. This has prompted caution.

The signs which have been spotted in parking lots all across Newcastle and include a digital link, are purported to be a fraud, with drivers allegedly alerting other cars to their whereabouts.

They are said to have mostly been seen in the city's multi-story parking lots, but Newcastle City Council has now issued a warning to anybody parking there to make sure no one becomes a victim of the fraud.

A QR code scam to appear across Newcastle

According to a study by Newcastle City Council, con artists have been posting fictitious QR code signs in parking lots to deceive vehicles into paying.

According to the local government, there have been three cases in the last two weeks when drivers used their phones to scan dubious codes and were then charged £60.

The council also stated that the QR code signs had been taken down by the time its officials went to check them after cars on Dean Street, Morden Street, and Blandford Square reported seeing them.

"We caution people not to use QR codes printed on any signs in our car parks to pay for their parking," a Newcastle City Council representative stated. 

"The municipal council does not accept payments using the codes, nor are they connected to any legitimate payment website," he said.

Read more: Casper Area Transit Joins the Digital Era with QR Codes