Parking fine scam warning

Locals councils are warning motorists about scams that demand paymemt of parking fines via SMS text message.

The text messages claim to come from "the council" or Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and state that the recipient has not paid a Penalty Charge Notice for a parking incident, but gives no other details.

It then urges the person to pay immediately by clicking on a link. The text threatens that failure to pay could lead to their "car bening banned" or being taken to court.

Penalty Charge Notice: Records show that you have an outstanding parking ticket. The deadline for parking tickets is 27 June 2025 and if you fail to pay your fine on time, you may be subject to further fines and interest and your credit history may be affected. After reading this information, please enter your car registration number in to the link to check and pay your parking fines.

Please pay immediatley before enforcement to avoid lcence suspension and further legal trouble, thanks again for your co-operation.

In a social media post, East Herts Council said: "The council only issues physical parking tickets, which are placed on vehicle windscreens. We do not send parking fines by text message. If you receive a parking fine via text and are unsure of its authenticity, please contact us before making any payment."

Scams can often be identified by their poor spelling or grammar, or lack of individual detail. Scam, texts should be forwarded to 7726 for mobile providers to log and investigate.