‘Unpleasant experience’: Cairns scraps QR codes from ticketing machines following scam alert

Cairns Regional Council will take added precautions to ensure commuters using its pay-by-phone parking app don’t fall victim to scammers after residents raised concerns over dodgy transaction fees.

A Cairns city office worker pays for her parking in the CBD at a Cairns Regional Council parking meter. Picture: Brendan Radke

Cairns Regional Council will take added precautions to ensure commuters using its pay-by-phone parking app don’t fall victim to scammers after residents raised concerns over dodgy transaction fees.

Council employees will remove QR codes from all of its ticketing machines in the coming days and direct new customers to access the Android and Apple online stores when downloading the EasyPark App.

The two-dimensional barcode can be hacked by con artists and redirect users to alternative websites where their personal information can be exploited.

The council contacted the parking app developer after multiple users reported strange transactions on their bank accounts after using the app.

EasyPark app is available for on-street parking in the Cairns CBD. Picture: Sandhya Ram

But the Swedish-based tech company – which was forced to notify customers of a data breach in 2023 – said it was not aware of any breach to its software.

“We can confirm the EasyPark app has not been compromised in any way, hacked or had any kind of data leak,” a spokesman said.

“We take the safety and security of all our customers’ data and payment details incredibly seriously and employ many strategies and technologies to prevent all and any security issues, within the app.”

Asked about a specific incident where a Cairns resident claimed to have had half-a-dozen “scam charges” made to her bank account after using the app, the spokesman said there were other more likely causes for the issue.

“Without knowing the full details of this lady’s very unpleasant experience, the only additional information we can offer is the potential of where she has unfortunately entered her details into a scam site, misrepresenting itself as EasyPark in Australia,” the spokesman said.

EasyPark was first trialled in Cairns in 2019, initially at a Harley Street carpark, which is used predominantly by inner city office workers.

In 2021, the trial expanded to include the southern Esplanade carpark, to determine its suitability in an area frequented by visitors before being rolled out across the city centre in 2023.

Last year, council invited tender submissions for the provision of a pay-by-phone parking app to replace the existing contract.

EasyPark was awarded the tender for a three-year term with two extension options of up to 12 months each.

“Feedback on the implementation of the app has been overwhelmingly positive, with very few complaints made about the service,” a council spokesman said.

In 2024, 36 per cent of all paid parking transactions in Cairns were made using the Easy Park method.

Customers who have concerns are encouraged to contact EasyPark’s customer service directly. Email: [e-mail], Phone number: 1300 734 070.

Originally published as ‘Unpleasant experience’: Cairns scraps QR codes from ticketing machines following scam alert