Drivers warned over QR code car park scams

Penrith's Sandgate car park is among council sites to have been targeted by scammers

Drivers have been warned to be on their guard against QR code scams after several people were caught out at car parks.

Westmorland and Furness Council said stickers directing motorists to fraudulent online payment sites had been found at several of its facilities in Cumbria over the past year, with an estimated 20 people falling victim to the fraud.

The black-and-white squares work like a two-dimensional barcode and can be scanned by a phone or tablet.

The authority said it did not use QR codes at any of its parking sites and urged anyone who sees one to ignore it.

Use apps, council says

A fraudulent code at Penrith's Sandgate car park has been reported to Cumbria Police, the council confirmed.

"If you come across a QR code on our parking signage it is scam," a spokeswoman said.

"We identified QR codes are an insecure system for linking to payment platforms, which is why we have committed to not using them on our signage."

While the council does not use the codes, it does accept other methods of online payments.

It advises people parking in the Furness area and across the Lake District National Park to download the RingGo app, while those in Eden and South Lakeland can use PaybyPhone.

The authority said online payments were being offered "to align with consumer trends".

Car park users are also still able to pay with cash.

Anyone who thinks they have been scammed is advised to contact their bank as well as report it to the Action Fraud national helpline on 0300 123 2040.