Calgary police are issuing a public warning about a text message scam asking people to pay fake tickets for parking and photo radar.
Investigators have received more than 25 reports in recent weeks of text messages telling people they must pay overdue tickets and encouraging them to click on a link in the message to complete payment.
The messages threaten that people could have their vehicle towed, their driver’s licence suspended or face hefty fines and other penalties if they fail to pay the tickets.
Police say the City of Calgary and the government of Alberta will not send text messages to request payment of outstanding fines.
Instead, photo radar or parking tickets, along with any followup communication, will be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.
Investigators are warning anyone who receives a message threatening them over unpaid tickets to not click on any attached links, not provide any payment or personal information through the text message and immediately delete the message without engaging the sender.
More information on how to pay legitimate parking tickets is available online, along with information on how to pay any traffic tickets.
Anyone who believes they have been a victim of such fraud is also encouraged to report it to the Calgary police by calling 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers online, at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or by downloading the Crime Stoppers app (P3 Tips) from the app store.