Vancouver warns of parking scam spike ahead of World Cup

The City of Vancouver is warning residents and visitors about a surge in parking scams as the FIFA World Cup draws crowds to the city.

Fraudulent text messages are claiming people have outstanding parking payments or overdue tickets, requesting immediate payment. The City does not notify people of parking fines via SMS or social media — official notifications come as a ticket issued to the vehicle or a mailed notice to the registered owner.

If you receive a scam text about an overdue ticket, the City advises not clicking links or providing personal information. Report the message to your mobile service provider before deleting it.

Fraudulent QR code stickers are also being placed on parking meters and pay stations across the city. These fake codes direct drivers to websites mimicking legitimate payment systems like PayByPhone. Vancouver does not use QR codes for parking payments. Report suspicious QR codes to Van311 and the City will remove them promptly.

The timing is particularly problematic with so many visitors in town for the World Cup. The City says it "continues to monitor reported scams and take action where possible to reduce public risk."