Geelong residents are being warned to double-check their parking fines after discovering fake tickets in the region.
The City of Greater Geelong first discovered the fraudulent tickets Friday morning, June 16, which are realistic in appearance but have several distinguishing features.
City of Greater Geelong parking tickets bear an eight-digit infringement number, are entirely white, feature the offending vehicle’s registration plate and details, have legislative references at the top of the ticket, and include an officer ID of three numbers.
A fake ticket can be identified by having a blue band across the top of the ticket and a QR code, which are not featured on an authentic ticket.
Community Service Delivery director Robyn Stevens said residents need to remain vigilant and wary of the scam.
“We’re not yet fully aware of how the fraudulent tickets are being used by scammers,” she said.
“We strongly advise anyone receiving a suspicious-looking parking ticket not to click on any link or to use the QR code.
“I encourage anyone receiving a parking ticket within Greater Geelong to take a few moments to check that it bears the features of an official City of Greater Geelong parking ticket.”
