Glasgow City Council issue warning of parking fine scam in the community

The local authority said it was aware that people were receiving text messages telling them they had a penalty charging notice (PCN). 

They now warn the public that the messages are a scam and that the council would never contact somebody about a parking fine via text. 

READ MORE: Man hits out over parking fines issues in West End lanes

Council bosses also urged the public never to click the link on text messages or enter any personal details.

They said: “We’re aware of a parking scam doing the rounds via text message. This is a scam – we do not contact via text about PCNs (Penalty Charge Notice). Please do not click the link or enter personal details.”

⚠️ Parking Fraud ⚠️

We’re aware of a parking scam doing the rounds via text message. This is a scam – we do not contact via text about PCNs (Penalty Charge Notice). Please do not click the link or enter personal details.

More info on parking scams 👉 pic.twitter.com/Fbjn87crt8

— Glasgow City Council (@GlasgowCC) October 16, 2024

Information from the British Parking Association adds that real PCNs will always appear on paper and there will be clear instructions on how to proceed with them.

Their advice is to check the sender, as official messages from a parking provider or local authority will come from verified sources. Be wary of texts from unknown telephone numbers.

READ MORE: Parking fines in Glasgow set to rise next month – how much will they be?

People should also look for unusual URLs, as fraudulent links often use suspicious or shortened URLs. Always double-check before clicking on any link.

If you receive a text that looks suspicious, do not click on any links.

Instead, log into the parking app account you may have, or contact the council directly to verify the claim.

This warning comes after the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) issued a similar alert in September after multiple examples of people receiving scam texts claiming to be from the DVSA.

For more information on parking fine scams click here.