See a QR Code on a Parking Meter? The FTC Says Check It Before You Scan

A fraudulent QR code can cover a legitimate parking-meter code and send drivers to a fake payment site, so checking the URL before opening it can help avoid a costly mistake – Shutterstock

A QR code on a parking meter can make paying for a spot feel almost effortless. Point the phone, scan the square, enter payment details, and get back to whatever brought you downtown.

There is one small step worth adding before the scan: look closely at the code and the payment instructions first. The Federal Trade Commission warned in September 2026 that scammers have covered legitimate parking-meter QR codes with fraudulent ones. That fake code can send a driver to a website designed to steal money or personal information.