Fake Parking Tickets: Verification and Reporting

Have you received a parking ticket and are unsure about its realness? You’re in the right place to get the guidance you need.

Check suspicious demands promptly using official contact information obtained independently. Verification should not become a reason to miss a genuine notice’s deadline.

In this article, we’ll give you simple and clear information on:

How to spot and verify a suspicious parking ticket.
Understanding a real Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and why you might get one
Ways to avoid getting a fake parking ticket
What to do if you receive a fake PCN email
How to challenge a parking ticket easily

Scams can copy accurate vehicle details and official branding. Neither an official-looking logo nor correct registration proves authenticity.

So, sit tight and get ready to find out how to deal with fake parking tickets.

Not sure what to write in your parking appeal?

You don’t need to start with a blank page.

We’ve created a free parking ticket appeal letter template that gives you a clear structure to follow.]

Get my free appeal template

Free editable parking appeal letter template from MoneyNerd.

First – what is a real Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), and why you’d get one?

Also called a parking ticket, a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) is a fine you could get for:

Parking without paying or illegally
Breaking certain traffic regulations
Failing to pay other things like London Congestion zone charges

There are several ways you could receive a genuine PCN. The ticket could be left on your windscreen or sent to you through the post. The issuer finds your address through the DVLA using your car’s registration!

Unexpected parking-payment emails or texts are a common scam warning. However, agreed electronic correspondence can be genuine; delivery by email alone does not prove fraud.

Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) scam emails

Motorists in some regions of the country are aware of a parking ticket scam involving emails. One such alert is a PCN supposedly sent by the HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS).

Fraudsters want to steal your bank details by sending these scam PCN emails to people. The email states that if you don’t pay on time, the charge increases and provides a link so you can pay quickly before this happens.

DO NOT click on the link!

The email may seem genuinely from HMCTS, but when you look closer, you’ll see:

Spelling mistakes – an example being “penality”
A sender address or reply-to address that does not match the organisation. Even a displayed official-looking address can be spoofed.

Above all, HMCTS never issues Penalty Charge Notices – EVER!

What’s Included in the Free Appeal Template

A clear structure

The template gives you a simple framework for putting your parking appeal together, so you don’t have to work out what to write from scratch.

Get my free appeal template

Free parking appeal letter template from MoneyNerd.

What to do when you get a fake parking ticket email

When you think you’ve been sent a phoney parking notice from HMCTS, do the following:

Report fraud in England, Wales or Northern Ireland through Report Fraud. In Scotland, report to Police Scotland on 101. If money or card details are at risk, contact your bank immediately.
You can also forward the email to [email protected].
The address [email protected] is the National Cyber Security Centre’s Suspicious Email Reporting Service. Forward suspicious texts to 7726.

Do not use links or QR codes in a suspicious demand. If you entered bank or card details, contact the bank through a verified route immediately. If you entered a password, change it through the genuine service and secure any reused credentials.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

Fake parking fines on your windscreen

You can buy fake parking tickets online. Supposedly they are to be used as jokes! However, things have gone horribly wrong when pranksters try it out on unwitting people.

Some of the tickets may look authentic but don’t contact any details on the ticket if you’re unsure. Instead, contact the real issuer for the area and check that the ticket is genuine.

PCNs in the post

Not all parking tickets are placed on your windscreen or given to you by hand. You can get one in the post.

Verify the alleged issuer, notice reference and vehicle details before paying. If the demand is genuine but disputed, use its challenge procedure in time; suspicion does not automatically pause that deadline.

Fake PCNs from other people

You may find a fake parking ticket on your car placed there by other people and not an authority. Although it may not be a scam to get money out of you, it is still very annoying.

You could find the ticket is genuine but was put on your car by another driver. Always check the details on a parking ticket before you do anything.

How to avoid fake parking tickets

If you think a parking ticket is fake, do the following:

Check who issued the ticket: Was it a private parking operator or a local authority? You can contact them directly to determine whether they gave the ticket! DO NOT call the number on the ticket if there is one. Instead, look up the official contact details of the council or private operator for the area.
Check vehicle, location and date details, but remember that accurate details can still be copied by scammers. Contact the real issuer independently if uncertain.

Feel more confident before you send your appeal

Writing a parking appeal can be difficult when you’re not sure what to include or how to structure it.

Our free template gives you a clear starting point, helping you:

Set out what happened clearly
Explain why you’re disputing the charge
Include the important details
Avoid starting from a blank page

Simply adapt the template to your own circumstances before sending it.

Get my free appeal template

Free parking appeal letter template from MoneyNerd.

Parking tickets are big business!

Scammers imitate both council PCNs and private parking charges. These are different legal demands, so identify the real issuer before responding.

A notice can be served or correspondence sent through different authorised routes. A message being postal, on a windscreen or electronic does not alone prove that it is genuine or fake.

My advice, if you feel a parking ticket is not genuine, no matter how you got it, contact the official issuer and not the number on the ticket.

Instead, go online and find out who the issuer should be and then use the contact details provided on their website.

Do not let urgent wording force an unverified payment. A genuine notice has its own response and discount deadlines, which should be checked promptly.

Council discounts are often 50% for 14 days, with 21 days for some postal parking PCNs. These are not universal appeal deadlines; private charges use their own terms and code rules.

When	Action
On receiving a council PCN	Read the notice, keep it, gather evidence and note all payment and challenge deadlines.
Windscreen or handed-to-driver PCN	An informal challenge may be available before the Notice to Owner. Early challenge can preserve a discount under the authority’s policy; 14 days is not a universal final appeal deadline.
Postal PCN or Notice to Owner	Normally make formal representations within 28 days as stated on the notice. Do not assume there is an extra informal stage.
Representations rejected	The Notice of Rejection explains how to appeal to the appropriate independent tribunal, normally within 28 days.
Appeal unsuccessful	Pay by the deadline given in the decision or obtain advice on any available review. Further statutory charges can follow if you do neither.
Other ticket type	Private parking charges and FPNs use different procedures; follow the actual notice.

Further guidance: Traffic Penalty Tribunal; Citizens Advice.

In short, there is a procedure to follow that scammers ignore. They want you to pay quickly or get your bank details to defraud you some more!

Challenging PCNs is easier these days!

A fake demand should be reported, not “appealed” through the scammer’s link. For a genuine council PCN, use the council’s official challenge route; for a private charge, use the operator and eligible independent process. GOV.UK’s postcode tool does not handle every private notice.