The City is alerting residents to a new scam that was recently discovered on parking machines in Ottawa. A sticker with a fake QR code has been attached to various machines which, when scanned with a smartphone, navigates residents to a fraudulent version of the PayByPhone website. Residents are asked not to scan any QR code that has been placed on a Pay & Display machine, as the City does not include this option on the machines.
Residents who suspect they have fallen victim to this scam are encouraged to verify with their credit card company and contact the Ottawa Police Service at 613-236-1222. A side-by-side comparison of a regular display on the parking machines and the fraudulent sticker have been included below to help residents identify the scam.
There are about 650 Pay & Display machines throughout Ottawa, and staff are inspecting them all to remove the fraudulent stickers. If you see a QR code on any of these machines, call 3-1-1 to alert staff so that the stickers can be removed immediately.
To ensure you are using the correct method to pay with your smartphone, you can download the official app for iPhone and Android, visit PayByPhone.com, or call 613-691-1700. More information on how to safely pay for parking on Ottawa’s streets can be found on ottawa.ca.
For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.