Car owners in the UK are being warned about a new scam targeting them through urgent text messages. Fraudsters are exploiting fears of parking fines to deceive people into making payments. The scam, discovered by the team at Mirror Online, is alarmingly convincing and marks one of the most realistic schemes recently observed.
The scam begins with a text claiming that a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) remains unpaid, accompanied by a threat of escalating consequences if the payment is not settled promptly. The text message reads, “Parking Charge Notice (PCN): The record shows that you have unpaid parking fines,” setting a deadline of August 26, 2025, for payment to avoid additional penalties and interest.
The fraudulent text contains a link that recipients are strongly advised not to click on. Several local councils have also issued warnings after witnessing a surge in similar scams. Trafford Council cautioned, “Please don’t click the link or make any payment,” while Royal Borough of Greenwich stated, “If you receive a text claiming to be a PCN, it’s likely a scam.”
Venturing further into the scam by clicking the link can lead to a website mirroring the official GOV.UK site. The counterfeit site mimics the government portal’s layout, typography, and color scheme, creating a deceptive façade. Visitors are prompted to provide their local council’s postcode and their car’s registration details.
Upon entering fake information, users are prompted to pay a fictitious £20 fine, with a “Pay Now” button displayed under the penalty charge notice. Victims who proceed are then coerced into divulging their full name, address, and banking information, granting scammers access to sensitive account data for potential financial theft.
To safeguard against falling victim to such scams, individuals are advised to exercise caution by not clicking on any links from suspicious messages that claim to involve a PCN. The GOV.UK website emphasizes the importance of refraining from sharing personal information, responding to text messages, downloading attachments, or clicking on email links if their authenticity is in doubt.
As scammers persist in devising various deceptive tactics to obtain personal data, vigilance remains crucial to protect against falling prey to such fraudulent schemes.
