The Alhambra Police Department is warning residents that someone is leaving fake parking tickets on vehicles that include a QR code directing to a website not affiliated with the city.
The fake tickets were placed on at least five vehicles in the city sometime between late Monday evening and early Tuesday morning, according to Sgt. Michael Montano.
The sham citations claimed that residents had not moved their vehicles for scheduled street sweeping, which immediately raised red flags for those familiar with the local parking schedule.
One fake citation was even left on a car parked in a resident’s driveway, Montano said. Alhambra police have not received reports of the fraudulent tickets in any neighboring cities.
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1. One of the fake parking tickets. 2. An example of a real Alhambra parking ticket. (Alhambra Police Department)
The knockoffs bear little resemblance to the city’s actual parking citations. In images police shared on social media, they look more like a grocery store receipt.
A legitimate citation is either a two-sided piece of paper with instructions on how to pay the fine, or a yellow ticket in an envelope, officials said. Neither include a QR code to make payments.
The QR codes on the fake tickets appear to point to a fraudulent website. If a resident does find a fake ticket, they should not scan the code, as it might install some type of virus on their phone.
“If you receive one of these citations, DO NOT scan the QR code, and report it to the Alhambra PD Traffic Section at 626-570-5119,” the police department wrote on social media. “Remember, we will only refer you to our safe and secure city website: www.cityofalhambra.org. If you are unsure, don’t hesitate to contact us!”