Christchurch parking scam: Fake QR code stickers prompt council warning
Christchurch City Council has issued a warning after scammers placed fake QR code stickers on parking meters to redirect payments to fraudulent websites. The council is working with police to remove the stickers and advises residents to only use official payment methods found on the meters.
Why it matters
This highlights the growing prevalence of 'quishing' (QR code phishing) attacks targeting public infrastructure and financial security.
The scammers have obscured the screens of the parking meters in a scheme to trick residents into paying through the fake websites. Photo / Christchurch City Council
The Christchurch City Council is warning residents not to scan suspicious QR codes after fraudulent parking stickers appeared on meters across the city.
Stickers bearing QR codes linked to false payment websites were discovered by the council on multiple public and private parking machines this morning.
The scammers had also vandalised the meters with permanent marker to obscure the screen and encourage residents to pay for parking through the fake codes.
Head of Transport Stephen Wright said the council was taking the incident seriously, with city parking machines to be checked daily.
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