Police Reveal How Scammers Using Fake Parking Tickets to Steal Personal Information

Police in Southern California are warning residents that scammers are placing fake parking tickets on cars, and the link for paying the "fine" may lead to fraudulent or malicious websites designed to steal data.

The Alhambra Police Department said they have received multiple calls about the scam parking citations, and shared photos of the fake tickets alongside the real thing.

The fake ticket has a QR code that directs people to a purported payment portal, and police are warning residents not to scan the code or visit the link.

"Scammers create QR codes to trick people into visiting a fraudulent website or downloading malware that compromises their personal information," police said.

Police are asking anyone who finds a scam ticket to report it to their traffic division.

"Remember, we will only refer you to our safe and secure city website: www.cityofalhambra.org. If you are unsure, don't hesitate to contact us," police said.

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The scam is the latest to use seemingly official government documents or representatives to trick people into revealing private financial information or other data, such as jury duty scams and bail scams.

TMX contributed to this report.