RingGo parking fraud: Portsmouth drivers warned about scam websites
A warning has been issued about scam parking payment websites to which people in Portsmouth are at risk of falling victim.
The city council uses the RingGo system in its car park and on-street parking machines, which allows drivers to pay for parking online rather than using cash. But the authority says it has received reports of a rise in the number of websites pretending to be the official RingGo page.
These pages often appear as the top result on search engines. Anyone fooled into using them will not only unwittingly hand over their money – and bank details – to scammers but also not have paid for their parking and so be at risk of getting a ticket.
Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, the cabinet member for transport said: ‘Using the RingGo service is an easy way to pay for parking in Portsmouth, but it's important for people to be vigilant to make sure they're using the official apps. Scammers often pay to have their websites appear as the first option on search engines such as Google, as a way to trick people into giving away their payment details, so people should make sure they're only accessing RingGo from an official source.’
By registering vehicles with RingGo, users can pay for parking without needing to carry change and can extend parking sessions remotely, so they don't need to return to the car to buy extra parking time if needed.
To ensure that people avoid being taken advantage of from scams like these, the council says residents and visitors should only use the official RingGo app, which is available for download from trusted sources such as the iOS App Store, Google Play Store, or Huawei App Gallery. Alternatively, people can download the app from the official RingGo website at www.ringgo.co.uk.
If people come across a website that they believe is fraudulent, they can report it to the National Cyber Security Centre.