A couple in Northumberland has been left £370 poorer after unknowingly scanning a fraudulent QR code at a car park. Jess Hagan and Jake Freeman believed they were accessing a legitimate payment site for parking at the Spanish City plaza in Whitley Bay. Instead, the code led them to a fake website mimicking the branding of the parking payment firm RingGo.
After receiving a notification of a declined transaction, they opted to pay in cash at the machine. However, the next morning, they discovered that £370 had been siphoned from Jake’s bank account overnight. The couple was shocked, as the website appeared fully legitimate, complete with branding and privacy policies.
RingGo has since issued a warning, clarifying that it does not use QR codes for payments and urging motorists to avoid entering card details outside its secure app. The car park’s general manager echoed this advice, highlighting the risks associated with QR code payments.
This incident underscores the growing threat of digital scams, particularly as QR codes become more prevalent in everyday transactions. Consumers are advised to remain vigilant and verify payment methods to protect their finances.
Source: GB News
