Fake Parking Ticket Texts Spread in US: Cities Warn

Cities across the U.S. have warned of a new mobile phishing attack targeting drivers. The fake messages pretend to be municipal parking enforcement agencies, notifying drivers that they have unpaid parking tickets. The message warns that if the tickets are not paid by the due date, a $35 daily fee will be added.

This scam method is seen intensively in big cities such as New York, Boston, Detroit, Houston, San Diego, San Francisco. The attacks, which have been ongoing since December, aim to trick users through fake links.

Information is being seized through fake sites
 
Scammers are using Google’s open redirect feature to trick users. Because the redirects are made via Google.com, a trusted domain, these links are not blocked by iMessage on iPhones and direct users to fake payment sites.
 
For example, a fake website for New York City appears to operate under the address "nycparkclient[.]com." When users enter their name and zip code, they are presented with the amount they allegedly owe and asked to click the "Make Payment" button.
 
But one of the most obvious signs of a scam is typos on the payment screen. While the dollar sign ($) is usually written before the number in the US, these fake sites use it attached to the end of the number.
 
Credit Card and Personal Information Are Stolen
 
When victims proceed to pay, scammers request their name, address, phone number, email, and credit card information. This data can be used for identity theft, financial fraud, and other cybercrimes.
 
Authorities stress that people should be careful about messages coming from an unexpected number, not click on suspicious links and report such messages to the authorities.
 
 
Source: CUMHA - CUMHURS NEWS AGENCY