Stuttgart: Fraudsters stick fake QR codes on parking ticket machines
Authorities in the Baden-Württemberg state capital are warning of a new scam at parking machines. Criminals are placing fake QR code stickers that lure users to fraudulent websites.
Stuttgart: Fraudsters stick fake QR codes on parking ticket machines
In the Baden-Württemberg state capital, fraudsters have developed a new scheme to take money from motorists. They are placing fake QR code stickers on municipal parking ticket machines. Those who scan these codes end up on a fake website where they are asked to disclose bank details or other sensitive information.
The City of Stuttgart is explicitly warning against this fraud method. Municipal staff remove the fraudulent stickers immediately as soon as they are discovered. Nevertheless, new codes can quickly appear on the machines again.
Since January of this year, motorists in the city centre have been able to pay their parking fees via smartphone. For this purpose, the municipality is cooperating with the smartparking initiative for digital parking space management. Several apps are available, including EasyPark, mobilet, Yellowbrick/flowbird, Paybyphone, Parkster and PARCO.
The administration points out that the payment process should never begin with QR code stickers that have been affixed. Instead, users must always download parking apps directly from trustworthy sources such as the App Store or Google Play Store.
Anyone who suspects they have become a victim of this fraud scheme should contact the police immediately. The investigative authorities can then check whether reports have already been filed and what steps are possible to clarify the matter.
Source: Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart
Source: Google News DE — Crime (de)