Fake QR codes on parking meters in Ypres lead to fraud site

Authorities in Ypres, Belgium, are warning the public after discovering fraudulent QR codes affixed to parking meters. These fake codes directed unsuspecting users to a payment website demanding 10 euros for parking, a price substantially higher than the legitimate tariff.

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The stickers that were applied certainly cannot have been there for more than a week.

A vigilant parking attendant noticed the suspicious stickers and promptly removed them. "The stickers that were applied certainly cannot have been there for more than a week," stated Mayor Katrien Desomer. "Fortunately, we noticed them relatively quickly."

With the Rally of Ypres event approaching, the mayor speculated that visitors unfamiliar with the local parking machines might be targeted. "Perhaps the people responsible for this thought they could make money from it," she added.

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Fortunately, we noticed them relatively quickly.

Mayor Desomer urged anyone who scanned the fraudulent QR code to block their bank card immediately and file a complaint with the police. She also plans to alert neighboring municipalities, suggesting the scam might extend beyond Ypres.

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Perhaps the people responsible for this thought they could make money from it.

Similar incidents were reported in Ostend, where fake QR codes led to incorrect payment links. While police checked all parking meters in Ostend, only one fraudulent sticker was found. The authorities are investigating the matter.

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Anyone who has already scanned the code should block their payment card and file a complaint with the police.