Fraudsters target pay-and-display machines again

The bogus QR codes were found on machines across another area of the city

Fraudsters have targeted a council's pay-and-display machines with fake QR codes for the second time in a month.

Leicester City Council said more QR code stickers were found on machines in the city on Friday, linking to a bogus payment website.

The authority removed similar stickers from a number of machines in the city centre, in September, and warned people not to use them.

But more have been spotted on the machines, this time predominantly in the Westcotes area of the city.

Rupert Bedder, the city council's highway network asset manager, said fraudsters had targeted 28 machines in their most recent attempt to fool people.

Customers warned

The local authority said it no longer used QR codes at any of its car parks or for on-street car parking, and urged people not to use them.

In September, bogus codes were found to have links to Russia.

Mr Bedder said the council "didn't know where the site was based" from the most recent scam codes, but said it appeared to be a copycat of a legitimate website, "like last time".

He added: "We've spoken to the police force this morning [Friday] and spoken to our internal investigation team and to Fraud Action as well."

Anyone who has scanned the codes has been urged to contact their bank and report it to Leicestershire Police.