Beware of Parking Fine Scam Texts Circulating Across Suffolk
Recently, a concerning wave of scam texts has been hitting residents across Suffolk, falsely claiming they owe parking fines. Local councils, including West Suffolk Council, have issued strong warnings about these messages, which appear to be part of a nationwide scam. The texts typically direct recipients to a fraudulent website, designed to look like a government page, where they are asked to input their vehicle registration number. This scam attempts to extract payment by showing a bogus fine, usually around £20 to £60.
Also Read:One alarming example comes from Nic Wray, a non-driver from Stowmarket, who received one of these scam texts. Wray, who does not own a car or even a driving license, was asked to pay a £60 fine, with a warning that the amount would increase if they didn’t comply. Fortunately, Wray quickly recognized the message as a scam and didn’t fall for it. However, dozens of other people in Stowmarket have reported receiving similar texts.
West Suffolk Council has made it clear that they do not issue parking fines via text messages. Genuine parking fines are issued in yellow penalty charge notice wallets placed directly on vehicle windscreens by authorized civil enforcement officers. David Taylor, the council's cabinet member for operations, emphasized that these texts are fake and advised the public not to open the link or pay the supposed fine. Instead, anyone receiving these messages should report the scam by forwarding the text to 7726, a free reporting service recommended by the National Cyber Security Centre.
Suffolk Trading Standards has also confirmed that these texts are part of a wider national scam. Although many people have reported receiving the texts, there are no known cases yet of anyone falling victim and making a payment. The message to everyone is clear: stay vigilant, delete these texts, and report them immediately to help prevent others from being scammed.
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