Mid Sussex District Council urges residents to be vigilant of fraudulent QR codes

PR2024020 - 08/08/2024

Mid Sussex District Council is issuing an urgent alert to all residents and visitors regarding fraudulent QR codes found on payment machines in council-owned car parks.

These QR codes, which falsely claim to be for the PaybyPhone service, are designed to trick individuals into handing over their card details. It is important to note that Mid Sussex District Council does not use PaybyPhone for parking payments and uses MiPermit.

The council’s enforcement officers have acted swiftly to remove these fake QR codes and are inspecting other machines to ensure the safety of residents. Enforcement Officers are dedicated to maintaining the security of parking facilities and preventing crime and are actively working to remove any remaining illegal QR codes.

Councillor Chris Hobbs, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Leisure and Customer Services said: “We are asking residents not to scan these QR codes for their own protection. Our enforcement officers, who play a crucial role in ensuring the security of our parking facilities, were the first to spot and highlight this issue. Their quick action has been essential in mitigating the risk posed by these fraudulent QR codes.

"This is a national issue, and we are committed to educating the public and safeguarding our community. We urge all residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious QR codes or activities in our car parks to our parking team using the details below. Your cooperation is essential in helping us prevent further fraudulent activities.”

If you have scanned a QR code on one of our machines recently, please check your bank statements for any suspicious activity and report any unusual transactions to your bank as soon as possible.

For more information or to report any concerns, please contact the parking team at parkinginfo@midsussex.gov.uk or call 01444 477212 (option 2)