Fraudsters affixing fake QR codes to Toronto parking meters: police

The City of Toronto is reviewing whether it is worth keeping its 2,700 on-street parking metres as drivers increasingly turn to the mobile app to process their payments. (CTV News Toronto)

Toronto police say that scammers appear to be affixing fake QR codes to parking meters in an attempt to defraud drivers.

A spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service tells CP24 that they are aware of at least three reports in recent weeks in which fake QR codes directing drivers to malicious websites were found affixed to parking meters.

The Toronto Police Service Financial Crimes Unit is currently investigating the apparent scam.

“The individual thinks they’re paying for street parking, scans a QR code, they are directed to what appears to be a legitimate website, make a payment, and instead of being charged $7 they’re charged almost $2,000,” Const. Laura Brabant said.

News of the parking meter scam comes after Bike Share Toronto warned that it had become aware of fraudulent QR codes being placed over the official QR codes on some of its bikes.

In a post to social media this week, Bike Share Toronto reminded its user that it “will never ask for payment through a QR code” and that they should only scan QR codes using the scanner in its app and not a phone camera.

“If a QR code looks suspicious or unfamiliar, don’t scan it,” Bike Share Toronto said.

Toronto police say that they have not been notified of instances of QR code fraud involving Bike Share Toronto bikes but note that it is possible that the same type of scam targeting parking meters could be targeting the city’s bike sharing service as well.

Toronto police are urging residents to always inspect QR codes physically and look for red flags such as “peeling edges, mismatched branding, or anything recently tampered with.”

They say that you should also be “cautious with QR codes on parking meters, public posters, unsolicited mail, or anywhere payment is requested.”