North Yorkshire Police warn of penalty charge scam email

The email advises the recipient their vehicle has been used on a road to which a congestion charge applies. The email states the recipient must pay a charge of £25 and this will increase to £100 if the payment is not made within 28 days. The recipient is then asked to click on a link in order to pay the fine.

This is a scam email and residents are warned not to respond to this email or make payment. Other police forces are also reporting residents being targeted with this email.

Detective Inspector Jon Hodgeon, Head of the Economic Crime Unit at North Yorkshire Police said:

“This another example of a scam email claiming to be from an official organisation where the victim is tricked into either making a payment or divulging personal information and security details to fraudsters. Although this particular email on first glance looks genuine there are a number of indicators common to scam emails that residents need to be aware of:

- The senders email address does not match the organisation the email purports to come from

- The email does not address you by name

- In the case of this email, it does not give your car registration number and lists the area you were driving in as the ‘United Kingdom’

- The email pressurises the recipient to act quickly for fear of loss or in this instance an increase in the fine if not paid immediately

- A link in order to make payment

North Yorkshire residents are encouraged to forward suspicious emails to [email protected] . If you have already responded to a scam email and lost money, contact your bank immediately and report the crime to North Yorkshire Police”.

Anyone who thinks they might be a victim of this type of crime is asked to call North Yorkshire Police. Dial 101, press 1 and speak to our Force Control Room. Alternatively contact Action Fraud on 0330 123 2040 or online at www.actionfraud.police.uk.