Fake RingGo Texts Are Tricking Drivers Into Handing Over Bank Details
Scammers are sending fraudulent parking-fee demands that impersonate the RingGo app, banking on the fact that most drivers genuinely can't remember every parking session they've paid for.
Key points
- Criminals are sending fake text messages that impersonate RingGo, a genuine UK parking payment app.
- The texts claim the recipient owes unpaid parking fees and press them to click a link to a bogus website.
- The fake site is built to steal bank card details or personal information.
- The scam works because parking app use is frequent and easy to lose track of.
- No government enforcement body sends parking-fee demands by text message with a payment link.
A text arrives saying you owe parking fees to RingGo, complete with a link to sort it out. RingGo is a genuine, widely used app that lets drivers pay for parking by phone. It looks plausible. Criminals sent it.
The Guardian first flagged warnings from fraud experts about this scam. It uses a tactic called smishing, where criminals send fake text messages to trick people into clicking links or surrendering personal details. The name combines "SMS" (the technical term for a standard text message) and "phishing" (impersonating a trustworthy organisation to steal information). Our coverage of a similar card-harvesting campaign, the fake Spotify payment emails reported on 29 July, shows the same playbook being run across different brands.
Why does this scam work so well?
Parking apps genuinely are confusing. Many drivers use several, depending on the car park. Sessions happen quickly, payments don't always go through cleanly, and keeping a mental record is hard. When a fee demand arrives, doubt kicks in before certainty does.
That doubt is exactly what the criminals count on. If even a fraction of recipients think "maybe I did forget to pay," the scam pays off.
The fake link leads to a website built to look like an official payment page. Entering your card details there hands them directly to the scammers. Some versions also ask for your name and address, which can fuel follow-up fraud.
What should you do if you get one of these texts?
Delete it without clicking the link. Legitimate parking companies do not chase unpaid fees by sending a payment link in a text message, and neither does any council or enforcement authority.
To check whether you genuinely owe anything, open the RingGo app directly or visit the real RingGo website by typing the address yourself. Do not copy or tap the address in the suspicious text.
If you already clicked the link and entered any details, contact your bank immediately. The faster you call, the better your chances of stopping an unauthorised payment.
The harder truth here is that these campaigns succeed not because drivers are careless but because the friction in parking apps is real. Scammers are exploiting a genuine pain point, which makes the lure unusually convincing and the advice to "just ignore it" harder to follow in practice.
Common questions
Can I tell a fake text from a real one just by looking at it?
Not always. Scammers can make a sender name appear as "RingGo" in your message thread. Look for urgency and a payment link requesting card details; real companies do not send that combination by text.
Is my phone at risk just from opening the text?
Opening the text itself is generally safe. The risk comes from tapping the link. If you tapped it but entered nothing, monitor your bank account for unusual activity and change any passwords stored in your browser as a precaution.
