The New Westminster Police Department is warning the public about fraudulent QR codes found on parking meters after victims lost “large amounts of money”.
The fraudulent QR codes, labelled “scan to pay,”have been placed on the front of parking meters across the city. Once scanned, people have been directed to a “seemingly legitimate site to enter their credit card information to complete the parking transaction”.
“The victims later noticed that they had large amounts of money withdrawn from their personal bank accounts,” said the New Westminster Police Department.
In one instance, a victim had $2,000 withdrawn from their account.
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“Our officers have already removed numerous stickers on meters throughout the city,” said Sgt. Andrew Leaver. “We would like to remind the public to be vigilant. While the stickers may appear legitimate, acceptable forms of payment are printed on signs above or on the meter.”
The City of New Westminster does not use QR codes as a payment method for parking. Anyone who has scanned one should check their bank accounts for suspicious activity and report it to both police and their bank.
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