A motoring expert has warned that two major driving scams could ruin Christmas for many (Image: Getty)
A motoring expert has urged all Brits to be particularly vigilant when travelling in unfamiliar areas to visit loved ones .
Whilst many drivers are looking forward to seeing friends and family members in other parts of the country during the , uninformed motorists could to a number of growing in popularity.
In particular, the vehicle leasing group recommended that drivers to do their Christmas shopping make sure they are giving their money to the right organisation.
They advised: “It’s important to be vigilant if you are entering card details online. Keep an eye out for alterations to car park signage and look for misspelt company names in web addresses.
“A genuine payment portal will also have what’s called an SSL certificate – a digital authentication of the company’s identity and the site’s ability to encrypt your data.
“An SSL-certified site will show a padlock symbol on your browser’s address bar, while the URL will begin with ‘https://’ instead of ‘http://’.”
:
Drivers should check that the QR codes they scan to pay for parking are genuine (Image: Getty)
Many public car parks now let motorists pay for their parking efficiently by scanning a QR code, often attached to signs or the side of a machine, with their smartphone.
Whilst the system is easy to use, a growing number of motorists are reporting scammers who stick a new label over the existing QR code, leading unaware drivers to a different page.
As a result, in addition to paying a scammer, drivers may also receive a penalty charge notice (PCN) of up to £100 for not paying the owner of the car park.
Don’t miss… [REPORT]
Similarly, Ayvens UK also suggested that drivers should be careful not to get scammed if they need to enter a clean air zone, such as the London ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ).
They continued: “Penalty Charge Notices for not paying a Clean Air Zone charge are issued by post, so drivers are advised to ignore text messages and to track down the local authority’s official website to make payments.
“Transport for London says third-party websites often add processing fees for ULEZ and congestion zone charges, some don’t pay the charge quickly enough to avoid fines, and others will just steal drivers’ money without paying at all.”
Motorists were also advised that they will never receive ULEZ fines via texts or emails (Image: Getty)
In particular, drivers should ignore text messages stating that they have broken the rules surrounding clean air zones by bringing a non-compliant vehicle into the area without paying.
Whilst motorists should always check the restrictions surrounding clean air zones before they set off, those who do break the rules surrounding one will receive a fine through the post.
Drivers should then go to the local authority’s official website in order to know that the fine is paid to the right place.