The Southend-on-Sea City Council in Essex issued an urgent warning to motorists on February 12, 2026, regarding fraudulent parking payment scams appearing across the area. Fraudsters are using fake stickers and text messages to trick people into giving away their bank details while they are trying to pay for parking.
Scammers have been placing high-quality QR code stickers on parking machines and signs, particularly near the seafront and city car parks. When scanned, these codes take drivers to fake websites that look like official payment portals but are actually designed to steal credit card information.
Local officials have also seen a rise in fraudulent text messages where drivers are told they have an unpaid parking fine. According to Southend-on-Sea City Council News, the authority will never send a text message about a fine or use QR codes for parking payments.
Genuine parking fines are only ever issued as a physical ticket on a car windscreen or sent as a letter to the home address of the vehicle owner. Drivers are encouraged to pay for parking using only the official coins or cards at machines, or through verified mobile apps like PayByPhone.
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