UK drivers are receiving an urgent text message alert and being told 'don't click'

If you suddenly get a text this bank holiday weekend suggesting you have a parking fine, be warned. A very convincing scam is currently doing the rounds and getting caught out will leave you seriously out of pocket. Spotted by the tech team at Express.co.uk, the attack begins with a simple message that suggests a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) has been issued, but the fine has yet to be paid.

An urgent date is also included, and a warning is added that not paying the fine will result in additional penalties and even a strike against your credit rating.

"Parking Charge Notice (PCN): The record shows that you have unpaid parking fines," the seen by Express.co.uk message reads.

"The deadline for paying the fine is August 23, 2025. If you fail to pay the fine on time, you may be subject to additional fines and interest."

A link is then included to pay the bill. We are urging anyone who gets the text NOT click on it. It's not just us issueing that warning with numerous UK councils posting messages on X saying the same thing. Trafford Council said in a post online, "Please don’t click the link or make any payment," and Royal Borough of Greenwich added, "If you receive a text claiming to be a PCN, it’s likely a scam."

Express.co.uk has visited the site and it looks scarily real. In fact things appear identical to the UK Government's official GOV.UK website with the font and design all appearing incredibly convincing.

Once on the web page, you are asked to add a postcode for your local council and then your car's registration.

To see what happens next, we added fake details and were still told we needed to pay a £20 fine with "Pay Now" button appearing under the penalty charge notice.

It's here that things get scary. Anyone fooled will then be asked to supply their full address, name, and banking details. Once that's done, the scammers will have full access to account data, which can then be used to steal money.

If you get a text that claims you have a PCN be on high alert and don't click on any links from a message.

"Do not give out private information (such as bank details or passwords), reply to text messages, download attachments or click on any links in emails if you’re not sure they’re genuine," the GOV.UK site explains.

"Forward suspicious text messages to 7726 - it’s free. This will report the message to your mobile phone provider."

Along with

If you think you’ve already been conned, lost money or been hacked because of an online scam or fraud and you’re in England or Wales you must message Action Fraud as soon as possible and also tell your bank.

Stay alert as scammers continue to try a swathe of tricks to get your data.