OPP warns public about phishing scam for unpaid parking tickets in the Ottawa Valley

An undated photo of an Ontario Provincial Police cruiser. (File image/Supplied/Bobb Barratt/Ontario Provincial Police)

Ontario Provincial Police are warning residents of the Upper Ottawa Valley about a phishing scam demanding money for an unpaid parking ticket.

The scam recently surfaced in the area.

Police say a message is sent to your phone, “demanding immediate payment because of an unpaid parking ticket.”

“The message will threaten that if you don’t click on the link provided, you could risk having your vehicle impounded, licence suspended, or legal action will be taken,” the OPP said. “This is a fraud!”

Police say this is a type of phishing fraud in which criminals trick victims to providing personal information or clicking links to fraudulent sites to make payments.

Police offer the following tips to protect yourself from phishing scams:

• Don’t click on links from unsolicited messages
• Don’t download attachments from unsolicited messages
• Watch for spelling mistakes
• Don’t trust a message just because the email address looks legitimate; fraudsters can spoof the address