Is This PCN Text Message Genuine or a Scam?
- SystemsCloud
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
What is the parking fine text scam?
A recent wave of fraudulent messages is targeting UK drivers. These texts claim you have an unpaid Parking Charge Notice (PCN) and urge immediate payment via a link. They often threaten extra fines, licence revocation, credit score damage, or legal action if you don’t act quickly.
Example message:
The link in these texts usually directs you to a fake payment page designed to collect personal and financial details.
Why is this message a scam?
PCNs are not issued by text UK councils, police, and the DVLA send official penalty notices by post. Private parking firms also send letters, not unsolicited texts.
Suspicious website addresses Official bodies use .gov.uk domains or recognised company domains. Scam sites often use unusual endings like .top or .xyz (e.g., park-pcnuu.top).
Threat-based language Urgent payment deadlines, threats of licence suspension, and credit score damage are classic phishing tactics.
Website spoofing The link usually takes you to a convincing imitation of a government or parking site, prompting you to enter your registration and card details.
How to check if a PCN is real
Look at the source: Real PCNs arrive by post, with the issuer’s name, address, and payment options clearly displayed.
Ignore links in texts or emails: Go directly to your council’s official website to check if there is a genuine fine.
Check the domain: Only pay fines via sites ending in .gov.uk or trusted, known business domains.
Call the issuer: Use official contact details from their website, not numbers in the message.
How to protect yourself from parking fine scams
Do not click links in unsolicited texts.
Delete the message to avoid accidental clicks later.
Report it to the National Cyber Security Centre by forwarding the text to 7726 (free from most UK networks) or via the Action Fraud website.
Stay alert to variations – some scams now use QR codes (“quishing”) in physical parking areas or fake tickets on windscreens.
What happens if you fall for it?
If you’ve entered personal or payment details:
Contact your bank immediately.
Change any passwords that may have been exposed.
Monitor your bank accounts for unusual activity.
Report the scam to Action Fraud.
Why scammers use parking fines as bait
Scammers pick parking fines because:
They create urgency – most people want to resolve fines quickly.
They are a plausible scenario for many drivers.
The sums involved are small enough to seem worth paying without much thought, but large enough to be profitable for criminals.
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