Police in New Westminster are warning about a scam where victims have had “large amounts” of money stolen after scanning fake QR codes on parking meters in the city. Stickers with QR codes, saying “scan to pay” have been reported on meters throughout the city, according to the New Westminster Police Department. Once the code is scanned, the victim is “directed to a seemingly legitimate site to enter their credit card information to complete the parking transaction,” police said. Police have received “numerous” reports of the scam and have been removing stickers from parking meters while investigating their source. In once case the NWPD said a victim lost $2,000. “We would like to remind the public to be vigilant. While the stickers may appear legitimate, acceptable forms of payment are printed on signs above or on the meter,” the statement from police said. Anyone who has scanned one of these codes is encouraged to review their banking records and to report any suspicious activity.
