Scam targeting motorists spreads into Oldham

A scam hitting motorists across the North West has made its way into Oldham, the council has warned.

Fake text messages claiming to be from the DVSA are being used to defraud drivers, who are falsely told they owe money for parking fines. 

A warning issued by a council spokesperson said: “People have been receiving fraudulent text messages and emails falsely claiming they’ve been issued with a parking Penalty Charge Notice (PCN). 

“These messages appear authentic, using a copy of the council’s payment page and the GOV logo, but the ‘pay now’ button links to a scam website. 

“Please stay cautious and do not click any suspicious links.

"Always verify PCN notices directly through the official council website.” 

The DVSA has confirmed that the message is fraudulent.

“DVSA does not issue or deal with parking fines,” the agency clarified in a statement.

In the last weeks, Oldham residents have shared screenshots of the scam on social media, asking community groups to weigh in on whether or not they were real.

Many commenters pointed out that the scam could be spotted due to the ‘poor grammar’ and reported having received similar texts even when they didn’t have cars or driving licences. 

The text says that drivers ‘have a parking penalty charge’ and: “If you do not pay your fine on time,Your car may be banned from driving, you might have to pay more, or you could be taken to court.” 

It asks recipients to follow a link and enter their licence plate number and payment details.

But the link leads to a phoney website which could extort money and personal information from the drivers. 

Oldham Council has called for anyone who is unsure whether a PCN notice is real to get in touch at: parkingshop@oldham.go.uk

The DVSA have also asked those who receive a scam text message to report it to the National Cyber Security Centre.

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