Phony ticket text messages trigger confusion in Windsor and a flood of calls to the city

The City of Windsor is warning of a parking scam circulating. CTV Windsor’s Sanjay Maru has more.

A new round of scam texts claiming drivers in Windsor owe money for speeding or parking violations has prompted nearly 50 calls to the city this week, according to city officials.

The messages vary — some accuse drivers of travelling over the speed limit while others claiming a vehicle was parked in a prohibited area — but nearly all contain the same warning: Click a link immediately to avoid added fines or collections.

For Windsor resident Liz Geddes, the texts have become a daily nuisance.

“They just continuously come in,” she said.

“Yesterday, I received three of them and they were all different links.”

Bill Kralovensky, the City of Windsor’s manager of transportation operations, said the ask in the scam texts could not possibly come from authentic sources.

“The City of Windsor doesn’t have your cell phone number,” he said.

“So, if you get this, be suspicious right off the bat.”

Kralovensky said scammers tend to mimic whatever is generating headlines — whether that’s automated speed enforcement, red-light cameras or seasonal warnings from police.

“It goes through a cyclical motion,” he explained.

“Every three months or so, we get a lot of them. Another three months go by and then we get another slew of them.”

He estimates the city has received close to 50 calls since Monday from residents reporting the texts or asking whether they’ve actually received a fine.

Local paralegal Walter Martin said the texts feel especially convincing for people who already have a legitimate ticket or court matter underway.

“I’ve had clients call saying, ‘I just got a message saying I owe money — what’s going on with this ticket?’” Martin said.

Martin, who works with Off the Hook Paralegal, said some clients have been seconds away from paying the scammers, believing they were simply settling an existing fine.

“If it came by text, it’s fake. Delete it,” said Martin.

While instantly deleting these types of scam texts is the best course of action, it’s hard for some residents to keep up with the influx.

“I’ll report them as junk and delete them,” said Geddes.

“But another one will follow through a couple hours later.”

The city reminds residents that any legitimate speeding, parking or red-light camera fine will arrive by mail — never by text message — and urges people to avoid clicking links from unknown senders.