Football fans warned over fake car park QR codes

AFC Telford United bosses say fake QR codes were attached to parking signs at their stadium

A football club has warned supporters of a possible fraud involving QR codes on parking signs.

AFC Telford United said it had been alerted to the issue by a member of the public attending a pre-season friendly match with Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s on Saturday.

In a statement on their website, the club, which is in the National League North, said fake QR codes had been attached to signs in the car park at the SEAH Stadium in Shropshire.

West Mercia Police has been approached for a comment.

QR codes – short for quick response code - are a type of barcode that can store information such as website addresses.

Criminals have been known to use them to divert people to unofficial websites to take payment from unsuspecting victims.

The practice is sometimes referred to as "quishing".

A spokesperson for AFC Telford United said: "Our regular Avalon parking payment information signs had been tampered with, and stickers bearing QR codes that directed users to a fake website had been placed over the legitimate QR codes.

"It seems likely that the intention was to harvest payment card details from users."

They advised anyone who used the codes to pay for parking to contact their bank or card issuer as soon as possible.

People were also advised to contact the club, who said they would liaise with the parking provider, as it was likely they would receive a fine for unpaid parking if they had not been able to use the correct QR code.

The club said all signage at the ground was being checked, and that officials would be in further contact with the police over the matter.

Anyone with information about the fake QR codes was urged to contact police.