Cars are a common target for criminals, as they offer different opportunities for thieves to make a quick buck. You may worry that your car could be stolen or that valuable items might be snatched if you leave your doors unlocked. But sometimes, thieves aren’t interested in the purse or cellphone left on your front seat; instead, they’ll use your car as a decoy to steal from you in a more creative way. Read on to find out what people are being now asked to put on their cars, and why police say you should be wary of this offer.
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The latest vehicle scam is just one of many that criminals have crafted. Over the summer, police in Fairfax County, Virginia, and Atlanta, Georgia, received reports of fraudulent parking tickets left on people’s cars. The tickets found in both states were convincing, using authentic-looking seals and formal language to fool victims. Tickets in Atlanta even had a QR code printed on them. When scanned, it opened an illegitimate payment website called “ATL Citations.”
QR codes have also been used in a parking meter scheme, where criminals affix stickers to meters in hopes that people will scan them and, again, pay through a fraudulent website. Now, scammers aren’t targeting your car in public settings—they’re attempting to con you while you’re at home.
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