Ealing Council has warned residents to watch out for scam text messages claiming they owe a parking fine, after what it said was a rise in reports from people in the borough.
The messages typically include a link to pay a £20 penalty charge notice that appears to have been issued by the council. Ealing council said it does not issue PCNs by text message and urged anyone who receives a suspicious message to avoid clicking links or sharing personal details.
The council advised residents to report scam texts by forwarding them to 7726, a number used by mobile networks to investigate spam, or by blocking the sender.
People who are unsure whether a notice is genuine can check online, the council said. It added that all Ealing council PCNs begin with “AO” or “EA”, and motorists can verify any notice through the council’s pay PCN service.
Councillor Paul Driscoll, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for climate action, said: “During this festive season we can be particularly busy and receive text messages or click on links without properly thinking about it. We’re warning our residents to be vigilant and to treat text messages from a number they don’t recognise with suspicion.”
Further guidance is available on the council’s website.
