Council reminds drivers to watch out for any parking payment scams

July 1, 2025

Southend-on-Sea City Council is urging drivers to stay alert when paying for parking, following recent scams involving tampered payment machines and another involving fake text messages.

The first scam, reported in Oxford, saw fraudsters place fake card readers over the real ones on parking machines at a city centre car park. These devices secretly captured customers’ card details, which were then used to try to withdraw money from their accounts.

While this particular scam hasn’t been reported in Southend, the council is taking a proactive approach by reminding residents and visitors to check parking machines carefully and report anything suspicious. The Council is also carrying out regular inspections of machines and signage to help mitigate any risk.

Southend has previously witnessed similar criminal activity, including the placement of fake QR codes on parking machines. The council acted swiftly to remove the fake QR codes and protect drivers. As a result, QR codes are no longer used on any parking machines, signs, or for pay-by-phone parking in Southend.

The second scam currently circulating involves fake text messages claiming the recipient has received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), followed by a link to make a payment. These messages are not genuine and must be ignored.

You will only receive a PCN as a physical ticket on your vehicle or by letter to the registered keeper’s address. The council does not send reminder texts about PCNs and will never ask for payment by text message. Similarly, you should never scan a QR code to pay to park in Southend.

Cllr Daniel Cowan, Leader of Southend-on-Sea City Council, said: “Criminal gangs operate across the country, and while this latest scam seen in Oxford hasn’t reached Southend, we’re not waiting for it to arrive. Our teams regularly inspect parking machines to make sure they’re safe and tamper-free and we also value any intel drivers can provide us.

“We’ve already removed all QR codes from our machines and audited our parking signage. Just to be clear, Southend Council does not use QR codes for any parking payments or parking-related services.

“We’ll keep sharing advice and images on our social media channels, so people know what to watch out for. These scams evolve quickly, so it’s important we all stay vigilant. If you see anything suspicious, or receive one of these fake text messages, report it and take a screenshot as evidence.”

You can report fraud as a victim, business or witness to the National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre at: www.actionfraud.police.uk.