Like everything in modern life, parking is becoming increasingly cashless. It's fair to say this app-based economy works very smoothly – until it doesn’t. From QR scams to parking fines, the pitfalls of parking in 2025 are real. So, Adam Dolphin, UK managing director at PayByPhone, gives a few top tips for motorists.
Grace periods
Some parking locations may have poor internet connectivity, which can cause problems when paying by app. The car park operator usually sets a grace period - the time between motorists parking and when they must start their parking sessions. That grace period should help prevent motorists from getting parking fines. But sometimes things don’t go to plan.
Motorists often end up using workarounds for car parks with persistently slow or patchy internet connection. If they know their train station is in a poor reception area, they might pay for their parking after they are on the train or before they get to the station. Similarly, inside a multistorey car park, where connectivity is often patchy, we suggest walking outside the structure to initiate payment – but drivers should check terms and conditions for restrictions as it’s important to know how long they have.
Another option is to call to start their session rather than using apps. PayByPhone sees around 2% of our transactions via our automated phone service in the UK. Our UK users can also pay via one of 28,000 PayPoint stores.
QR scams
Another concern for motorists is QR scams, where fake QR code stickers are placed over genuine stickers to direct motorists to bogus websites to capture payment details fraudulently. We encourage motorists to pay without scanning a QR code. They can do this by using a downloaded parking payment app, via the payment provider’s website or through an automated payment phone line (obviously don't navigate to any of these via the QR code).
Occasional parkers could be more at risk because they may not have a parking payment app downloaded so they may opt to download it when parking via the QR code on the machine.
If the QR is the only option, motorists should:
- Check the QR sticker very carefully
- Does it look like there is an additional sticker on top?
- Does the URL it goes to match the official provider’s URL? It may just look similar!
Our recommendation is that motorists should not provide any details if they are in any doubt.
PayByPhone no longer provides our council and parking operating partners with QR codes as a means for their motorists to make payments in the UK. We recommend downloading the official app.
Extend from anywhere
If plans run over, parking fines are a risk. Motorists can often extend their parking session at any time that is in line with the car park’s terms and conditions by going back into the app, adding more time and paying for it. This saves them from having to return to their car to top up the session. Around 6% of our sessions on average were extended in the UK in 2024.
Lastly, check carefully
Motorists can avoid getting parking fines simply by checking details. Some common errors are entering vehicle registration numbers incorrectly, selecting the wrong vehicle for a parking session, where more than one is registered in a payment app, or entering the wrong parking location code. This will invalidate their session and potentially attract a parking fine.
Parking doesn’t have to cause headaches for motorists; with an eye on details, and a little vigilance, it can be simple to navigate.
