How to spot the 'sophisticated' parking ticket scam costing Brits thousands

Returning to your car and discovering a vivid yellow Parking Charge Notice slapped across your windscreen is a universal moment of annoyance for motorists.

You could face a penalty of up to £70 for failing to display a valid ticket on your vehicle, or exceeding the permitted parking duration. However, owing to a 'sophisticated' fresh con involving bogus tickets, settling what you assume to be a minor penalty could result in your bank account being drained.

An increasing number of these convincing replica fines are being employed to swindle drivers, a Liverpool legal practice has warned. This criminal activity, which emerges in trouble spots across the nation, compounds the fraudulent QR codes and DVLA messages that con artists exploit to scam motorists out of their hard-earned money.

CEL Solicitors' Paul Hampson, a fraud expert, informed This is Money that he has observed a rise in instances of individuals who have fallen victim to this swindle. He stated: "We originally thought these cases were isolated but the number of clients coming to us has significantly increased."

Identifying the distinction with these fraudulent parking penalties can prove challenging, with criminals meticulously copying official tickets featuring identical wording and council logos.

Paul continued: "We're now seeing a clear pattern – same scam, different postcodes, often with the same cloned branding.

"These scams are worryingly sophisticated. Everything about these fake tickets looks authentic - the branding, the language, even the payment site."

The technology behind these scams is becoming increasingly advanced, with fraudsters creating convincing fake fines that contain accurate details to trick motorists into believing they've violated parking regulations.

"We've seen tickets that use real registration plates, correct car park names and even cloned council logos. Victims often don't realise until their card has been drained," Paul explained.

These criminals utilise information about your vehicle available online, coupled with persuasive websites, to coax you into entering your card details. While this might initially cost you £50 or £70, once your card details are in the hands of these hackers, they can start draining far larger amounts from your account.

Paul Hampson told This is Money that this scam particularly targets areas where drivers are more likely to breach parking rules, stating: "We've found it's often places with heavy footfall – retail parks, commuter hubs, or busy seafronts – where these scammers thrive. They rely on people being in a rush and not questioning the fine."

However, there are ways to identify a fraudulent ticket and avoid paying an inflated price for your parking spot. A common tool used in these deceptive fines is the QR code, which, when scanned, can direct you to a dubious payment site.

Another tactic employed by fraudsters involves pressuring motorists into making instant payments to avoid steeper penalties or potential legal proceedings.

Nevertheless, a genuine PCN operates through an appeals process that can span several weeks before any fee becomes due, with no obligation for immediate payment.

Mr Hampson added: "These criminals are clever, but the same rules apply - slow down, don't pay under pressure, and verify before clicking or scanning anything. A fake PCN might cost you £70 on the surface - but thousands in stolen data."