A simple, convenient-looking sticker is the city’s newest Trojan horse. Here’s the science behind the scam and how to protect yourself.
You pull up to a coveted spot on a busy street in Brooklyn. It’s July, the air is thick, and you’re already five minutes late. Fumbling for your phone to open the ParkNYC app, your eye catches something new on the side of the Muni-Meter: a small, neatly printed QR code with the words “Scan to Pay.” It seems like a brilliant, modern shortcut. A quick scan, a few taps, and you can be on your way.
But just as you raise your phone, a notification from the official ParkNYC app itself flashes across your screen: “Do not scan QR codes to pay for parking.”
This scenario is playing out across New York City as drivers encounter a simple but alarmingly effective new scam. In early June 2025, the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a citywide alert about fraudulent QR codes being placed on parking meters. These stickers are not a convenient new payment option from the city; they are digital traps set by scammers.
The deception preys on a modern habit. We have been trained by restaurants, retailers, and public health initiatives to trust QR codes as a seamless bridge between the physical and digital worlds. The scam’s brilliance lies in its simplicity and its exploitation of this trust. When a user scans the fake code, their phone’s browser opens a website that is a convincing replica, a digital stage set, of the official ParkNYC payment portal. Users, often in a hurry, enter their license plate number and, crucially, their credit card information. The payment appears to go through, but the money and the financial data go straight to the scammers, who can then use it for fraudulent purchases. The driver, meanwhile, has not actually paid for their parking, leaving them vulnerable to a ticket.
This isn’t just a handful of isolated incidents. The DOT has confirmed the problem is widespread enough to warrant a citywide inspection of all its thousands of parking meters to locate and scrape off the malicious stickers.
So, how can you be sure you’re paying the city and not a scammer?
The official guidance from the NYC Department of Transportation is clear and absolute: The city does not use, and has never used, QR codes for parking payment. There are only two legitimate ways to pay for metered parking in New York City:
- Directly at the Muni-Meter: Using a credit card or coins at the physical machine.
- Using the official ParkNYC app: By downloading the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, creating an account, and initiating payment from within the app’s interface. You manually enter the zone number printed on the meter’s official signage.
Think of it as a fundamental rule of digital street smarts for the five boroughs. Any QR code offering a payment shortcut at a meter is, by definition, a fraud.
If you encounter one of these stickers, you can be part of the solution. The DOT advises that if you can do so safely, you should peel the sticker off and discard it to protect the next driver. You can also report the location to the city by calling 311.
What if you fear you’ve already been tricked? The moment you suspect you’ve scanned a fraudulent code and entered your information, you should:
- Contact your credit card company or bank immediately. Report the potential fraud, cancel the card if necessary, and dispute any charges you don’t recognize.
- File a report with your local police precinct. This helps law enforcement track the scope and scale of the scam.
This parking scam is a local manifestation of a global trend. The FBI has previously warned about criminals using fake QR codes to steal information in all sorts of contexts, from restaurant menus to cryptocurrency ATMs. The lesson is clear: while technology offers wonderful convenience, it also creates new avenues for old-fashioned theft. A moment of healthy skepticism before scanning any unfamiliar QR code can save you from a major headache. For now, when it comes to parking in New York, the old ways are the safest.
For Further Reading and Verification:
- NYC Department of Transportation: Official announcements and alerts are often posted on the DOT’s main website or social media channels. (e.g.,
https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/) - ParkNYC Official Website: The legitimate app’s website often contains FAQs and security information. (e.g.,
https://www.parknyc.org/) - Major News Outlets: Reports from sources like the Associated Press, The New York Times, or local affiliates like amNY and Gothamist have covered these recent warnings, confirming the details and timeline of the scam.
