Council warns county is being targeted by scammers

Parking officials at Herefordshire Council have warned drivers about fake text messages that falsely instruct people they must pay a parking fine.

Officers in the council's parking services team have confirmed the county is being targeted after receiving calls from motorists about the scam.

The scammers have posed as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and state the recipient has an outstanding parking fine.

The messages give no details about the offence, such as when or where it happened or who issued the fine, but direct them to an official-looking website to enter personal details and make a payment.

A council spokesperson said: "In reality, this is a scam designed to steal money from unsuspecting members of the public.

"In one recent case, a motorist who paid the false £20 fine later had an attempt made to take £400 from their account.

"Local authorities will never issue texts about parking fines, and any official communication will always include details on how to pay and how to appeal."

Councillor Barry Durkin said: "Herefordshire Council is committed to keeping residents safe from this type of scam and thanks members of the public for their continued vigilance.

"Our parking services team will continue to actively raise awareness to help prevent people from being caught out by scams like these."

He said anyone who does receive a suspected scam text should not click on any links, and to delete the message before deleting it again from their device's "bin".

Anyone who has clicked on a suspected scam link or has entered their card details on such a link has also been advised to freeze their bank card and contact their bank's fraud team.

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