Scammers Are Tricking Drivers Into Using Fake QR Codes At Parking Meters

Image via The City of Austin

Police in San Antonio and Austin in Texas have warned drivers about a new scam involving fake QR codes on parking meters. 

These QR codes direct unwitting drivers to a fraudulent site to make payment, duping them into giving away their money and card details.

In Austin alone, the Transpiration Department told KXAN it found such stickers on 29 of 900 public parking meters. 

“We don’t use QR codes at all for this very reason, because they are easy to fake or place on the devices,” Jason Redfern, Parking Division Manager for the department, told Insider.

According to Ars Technica, the fake QR codes led drivers to a “Quick Pay Parking” webpage with the domain passportlab.xyz, which has since been taken offline. At the moment, authorities don’t yet know how many people were tricked by the scam.

Austin authorities said in a press release that they’ll continue to inspect the city’s parking meters to ensure the stickers don’t return, though drivers should call 911 if they see anyone tampering with a pay station. 

“Any person who believes they were a victim of a credit card breach due to the recent parking meter payments should file a police report and notify their card issuer immediately,” officials cautioned. 

[via Insider and Ars Technica, cover image via The City of Austin]