The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) are warning that scammers are sending text messages about fake parking penalty charges. Be wary, don’t respond to texts, deal with parking ticket details directly.

A scam trying to get money fraudulently via text messages about parking fines is doing the rounds in Lincolnshire.

The text messages warn people that they have a ‘parking penalty charge’, and that if they do not pay on time, that they might:

Starting with words along the lines of ‘Parking Penalty Charge Notice’ text messages are being sent out claiming that an outstanding parking ticket is due to be paid. With follow up notifications it warns of an increase of 50% to pay if the PCN fine is not paid within 28 days, and that the receiver of the text will be prosecuted and may also face court costs . 

This is an image example of the scam text that people have been receiving.

Thankfully, these text messages are nonsense. 

If you, or anyone you know, is sent one of these messages then ignore it. Any parking charges are to be paid, or contested via the details on the back of the actual ticket itself. Do not try to resolve a parking issue, or pay a parking penalty charge, via any other route.

You will NOT be contacted by text message regarding a parking penalty charge in this way - ever. 

What to do if you received a message

You can report scam text messages to the National Cyber Security Centre.

Report a scam text message.

You do not need to contact DVSA if you have received the text message.

It’s also possible to forward a scam text message to 7726. For more guidance go to: Report a scam text message - NCSC.GOV.UK

If you’ve responded to a scam text message

If you’ve been tricked into sharing personal information with a scammer, you can take immediate steps to protect yourself.

Find out what to do if you think you’ve shared personal information.

If you’ve lost money or have been hacked as a result of responding to a suspicious text message, report it: