Scam alert
QR Code Sticker on a Parking Meter? Don't Scan It. Use the City's App
Updated · First posted
Parking meters · consumer.ftc.gov · Arrives by a QR code sticker on a parking meter or sign
The short answer
A sticker on a parking meter that says Scan to Park or Park AA, or any unfamiliar QR overlay on the real code, is not how Ann Arbor meters take payment. In October 2026, Ann Arbor police warned that fake stickers on downtown meters send people to sites built to steal personal or payment information. Real Ann Arbor meters are operated by epark: type the meter number and pay on eparka2.com, the official epark app, or an on-street kiosk. Elsewhere, pay through the agency's own app or a web address you type yourself. Do not scan sticker QR codes.
What is happening
The Federal Trade Commission warned in September 2026 that people are finding scammers' own QR codes stuck directly over the real codes on parking meters and signs, and a Nashville television station covered the same pattern that month. In October 2026, Ann Arbor police in Michigan warned that fraudulent QR stickers on downtown parking meters—especially near the Maynard Parking Structure—direct people to websites built to steal personal or payment data, and WXYZ reported the same local warning, including stickers labeled Scan to Park and Park AA. Scanning the added code opens a look-alike payment page rather than paying for parking through the agency's own channel.
How to recognize it
- A sticker on the meter says Scan to Park or Park AA, or any unfamiliar QR overlay sits on top of the real code.
- A QR code sticker looks raised, crooked, or made of a different material than the rest of the meter or sign.
- The page that opens asks for more than a parking fee, or for personal details unrelated to payment.
- The web address on the page does not match the parking agency's official app or site (in Ann Arbor, that channel is epark).
- There is no phone number or app name printed on the meter to check the code against.
What to do instead
- Do not scan a sticker QR code on a parking meter.
- In Ann Arbor, type the meter number and pay through epark's website, the official epark Ann Arbor app, or a nearby on-street kiosk.
- Elsewhere, pay through the parking agency's own app, or a web address you type in yourself, rather than the code on the meter.
- Read the web address that opens before entering any card details.
- Report stickers to local police on a number you look up yourself.
- If you want to tell someone, the rule is: do not scan a parking-meter sticker—pay through the agency's own app or kiosk.
If it already happened
Responding to one of these is common and understandable. These steps are what people usually take next.
- Do not contact anyone through the site that opened—replying can be treated as a chance to ask for more.
- Change the password on any account whose details you entered, especially if you reused it elsewhere.
- Review your bank and card statements for charges you do not recognize, and contact your card issuer if you entered card data.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Common questions
- How can I tell a QR code has been tampered with?
- Look at the sticker itself. A code placed over the real one is often slightly raised, has visible edges, or is printed on different material than the rest of the sign. Stickers that say Scan to Park or Park AA on Ann Arbor meters are not from the city. When in doubt, use the agency's app instead.
- How do I pay at an Ann Arbor meter without scanning a sticker?
- Ann Arbor meters are operated by epark. Type the number on the meter, then pay on eparka2.com, in the official epark Ann Arbor app, or at a nearby on-street pay-station kiosk. Do not scan sticker QR codes.
- What if I already paid through the fake page?
- Watch your card statement for charges you do not recognize and contact your card issuer if you see one. You can also report the page at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Practice this safely
Practice checking a code or link against a source you already trust before you scan or tap it.
Every story is fictional. There is no timer, no score, and no real message, payment, or account.
Tell someone
Copy a short note you can paste into a text or email. It names the scam, the next step, and this page. Nothing is sent from this site.
QR Code Sticker on a Parking Meter? Don't Scan It. Use the City's App A sticker on a parking meter that says Scan to Park or Park AA, or any unfamiliar QR overlay on the real code, is not how Ann Arbor meters take payment. In October 2026, Ann Arbor police warned that fake stickers on downtown meters send people to sites built to steal personal or payment information. Real Ann Arbor meters are operated by epark: type the meter number and pay on eparka2.com, the official epark app, or an on-street kiosk. Elsewhere, pay through the agency's own app or a web address you type yourself. Do not scan sticker QR codes. Read the full alert: https://endscamsproject.com/latest-scams/parking-meter-qr-code-scam
Where this comes from
These links open the published sources in a new tab. The destination is shown before you open it.
- FTC: See a QR code parked somewhere? Don't scan it…yet! (September 2026) (opens in a new tab)
consumer.ftc.gov
- WSMV Nashville: Scammers are replacing QR codes in parking lots (opens in a new tab)
wsmv.com
- The Michigan Daily: Fraudulent QR codes placed on Ann Arbor parking meters, AAPD warns (October 4, 2026) (opens in a new tab)
michigandaily.com
- WXYZ: Fake QR Code Stickers Found on Ann Arbor Parking Meters; Police Warn Drivers of Scam (opens in a new tab)
wxyz.com
- Report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission (opens in a new tab)
ReportFraud.ftc.gov
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