'Think before you pay' - North Yorkshire Police issues bogus parking fine scam warning
North Yorkshire Police has issued a warning to residents after it was made aware of a parking fine scam operating in the county.
Officers at North Yorkshire Police say they have received six reports in the last three days of residents getting a text telling them to pay a parking fine.
The message includes a link to pay, and suggests the fine will increase if not paid within 28 days.
The messages come from mobile numbers starting 07, and the link takes the user to a website that looks like an official Government one.
One example included the words “you’re in trouble with your local council” – a turn of phrase which made the recipient suspect it wasn’t genuine.
Another example referred to a location where the recipient definitely hadn’t been.
None of the six people who reported it to police handed over any money, but others may not have been so vigilant.
A statement on the North Yorkshire Police Facebook page read: “Please share this warning with friends and family.
“If you receive an unexpected message with a link, be extremely cautious – think carefully before you do anything, and delete it if you’re not 100% certain it’s legitimate.”