Brit holidaymakers issued warning over parking scam plaguing tourist hotspot

By ESTHER MARSHALL

Published: 12:57 BST, 12 June 2025 | Updated: 13:00 BST, 12 June 2025

Tourists and locals in a popular Spanish holiday hotspot have been issued a warning about a parking scam. 

Alicante’s council has warned that the new scam has been catching out locals around the city. 

The crafty scammers have been leaving fake parking fines on people’s windscreens in Alicante, reports Euro Weekly News. 

The fake fines have a QR code printed on them which the drivers are expected to scan. 

Once they do so, the QR code will take people to the scammers’ website which asks them to enter their personal and banking details. 

The scammers may then be able to take large amounts of money from their victims using the fake website. 

The council explains that a real parking fine won’t come with a QR code. An official fine will also have ‘Boletin de denuncia’ at the top. 

It will also have the Ayuntamiento (council) logo at the top and drivers will be asked to use a barcode, not a QR code, to register their fine. 

Tourists and locals in a popular Spanish holiday hotspot have been issued a warning about a parking scam

The crafty scammers have been leaving fake parking fines on people’s windscreens in Alicante (stock photo)

If drivers find a ticket with a QR code on their car, they should take a photo of it and let the local police know. 

While the scam has been reported in Avenida Benito Perez Galdos, officials suspect that the conmen are also targeting other neighbourhoods in Alicante. 

Officials recommend that tourists check any suspicious-looking tickets with the council or police. 

Most importantly, tourists should never scan a QR code if they find one on a fine attached to their car.  

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Brit holidaymakers issued warning over parking scam plaguing tourist hotspot

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