Overview

• DVLA recorded nearly 20,000 reports of driving-related scams in the past year, triggering fresh alerts on bogus licence-update notices and fake fine demands.
• Fraudsters are exploiting the shift to mobile parking payments through quishing, placing counterfeit QR stickers on or near meters to redirect motorists to fake payment sites.
• PayByPhone has ceased distributing QR codes to councils and operators, and several local authorities including Fylde and Bournemouth have removed fraudulent stickers from machines.
• Victims who scan fake QR codes unwittingly submit personal and financial data, with losses reported at nearly £3.5 million from over 780 incidents and cases like a 71-year-old losing £13,000.
• Drivers are advised to use official apps or direct payment methods, verify QR code authenticity by checking web addresses, and only access DVLA services via gov.uk to avoid phishing traps.