City of Melbourne warns of email scam chasing parking fines

IF you get an email demanding payment for a parking fine in Melbourne CBD, delete it immediately. Scammers are targeting Victorians in the latest online cash grab.

FAKE emails claiming to be collecting City of Melbourne parking fines is targeting residents.

The council today warned of the bogus parking ticket scam that is being emailed to unsuspecting recipients.

ILLEGAL PARKING COMPLAINTS JUMP

COUNCIL NAMES AND SHAMES ILLEGAL PARKERS

The email demands payment within 14 days for parking fines.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said Town Hall had received more than 20 complaints from people who had received the emails.

A screenshot of the bogus email. Picture: City of Melbourne

“The City of Melbourne has not sent these emails and would never email people demanding payment of parking fines — they are a scam,’’ Cr Doyle said.

“I hate to think how many people may have unwittingly responded to this email or clicked on the links or attachments within it.’’

The council has reported the scam to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Scamwatch service.

A parking fine scam is targeting Melbourne residents. Picture: Mark Stewart

“I encourage all Melburnians and visitors to be wary of such unsolicited emails and to delete them immediately,’’ Cr Doyle said.

Recipients should also never reply to spam email because it provided spammers with a known email address.

The email falsely carries the name of Global Parking Solutions as well as a logo of Impark, a Canadian parking management company. Neither is connected to the email.

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@IanRoyall