Ottawa Police Fraud Unit Dismantles Deceptive QR Code Parking Meter Cyber Scam

OTTAWA, ON — The Ottawa Police Service Organized Fraud Unit and City of Ottawa Parking Services deployed municipal inspection crews across the downtown core, ByWard Market, and Centretown on Tuesday after uncovering a widespread cyber-phishing scheme targeting street parking payment stations.

Sophisticated QR Code Decal Tampering

Investigators discovered that scammers affixed high-quality counterfeit vinyl decals containing fraudulent QR codes over official municipal Pay-and-Display machines. When scanned by drivers attempting to pay via mobile smartphone, the QR codes redirected users to sophisticated spoofed websites imitating the city's official parking payment portal.

Victims who inputted payment details suffered fraudulent credit card charges ranging from $50 to $800, alongside unauthorized recurring subscription enrollments.

Municipal Safeguards and Consumer Warnings

City of Ottawa General Manager of Public Works Alain Gonthier clarified that the city does not utilize QR codes on physical on-street parking meters, directing motorists to use only official contactless credit card tap readers or the verified municipal mobile parking application.

Municipal parking enforcement officers inspected and cleansed over 450 pay stations across the central business district, replacing tampered signage and deploying tamper-evident security holographic seals.

Ongoing Cyber Forensic Investigation

Ottawa Police cyber investigators are collaborating with regional financial crime taskforces and web hosting registrars to trace domain registrations, seize malicious phishing servers, and apprehend the perpetrators.