'Do not engage' - Adur and Worthing residents warned about fake parking ticket message

A scam warning was posted by Adur and Worthing Councils on Friday (June 20).

"We’ve become aware that some residents have received a text message from an unknown number about a fake parking ticket,” the social media notice read.

"Please do not engage with the text message as this has not come from our teams.

“Anyone that receives a genuine Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) from our wardens should always receive the physical notice on their windscreen first.

“If the fine remains unpaid, we will then send a notice through the post to the registered owner of the vehicle, but these will always feature our name and means of contact. All personal addresses are supplied by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).”

The councils said their parking team ‘never contacts residents by text’ and will only call someone ‘if returning a voicemail’.

They added: “If you write to our teams to appeal a PCN or ask a question, we will respond through the same method of communication that you contacted us with.

“If you receive any suspicious messages from organisations claiming to be us, please alert Action Fraud.”

The councils requested that people share the warning with family and friends, ‘to ensure they are not affected by the scam’.