Wiltshire Council issues warning over fake parking fine texts
Authorities urge public to report suspicious messages as phishing scam spreads
Wiltshire residents are being warned about a rise in fraudulent text messages falsely claiming to be from parking services or local authorities.
These scam messages often state that the recipient owes a parking fine and includes a link to make a payment. The messages may appear urgent or threatening, but they are not genuine.
Wiltshire Council is advising the public not to click on any links or provide payment details in response to these texts.
Instead, people are urged to forward the message to 7726, a free reporting service provided by mobile networks, which helps block scammers. Over 31,000 scams have already been removed thanks to public reports through this system.
Residents are also encouraged to report the incident to Action Fraud and then delete the message.
Officials stress that legitimate parking fines are never issued via text message with payment links. The council is urging the public to remain vigilant and to share this warning with friends and family.