Parking safety to avoid scams | Calgary Parking

Be aware of suspicious QR code stickers at certain parking payment locations.

Official Calgary Parking QR codes will only appear on approved Calgary Parking signs, webpages, apps or payment machine screens. If a QR code is attached as a sticker, appears altered or is not displayed on the payment machine screen, do not scan it.

If a QR code appears to have been added as a sticker, altered, damaged, or placed over another sign, or opens a website you do not recognize, do not enter personal or payment information.

Use official Calgary Parking payment options instead. If unsure, go to CalgaryParking.com or call 403-537-7000.

You do not need to use a QR code to pay safely.

How we contact customers

Calgary Parking does not send unsolicited text messages demanding payment for tickets or fines.

Customers choose to use:

MyParking notifications
Call or Text to Park
ParkPlus account services

If you receive an unexpected payment demand by text message, treat it with caution and verify before taking action.

Suspicious communications

❌ Random sticker
❌ Unexpected text
❌ Strange website
❌ Urgent payment demand

Official communications

✅ Payment machine screen
✅ MyParking app
✅ calgaryparking.com
✅ ParkPlus payment options

Before you scan, click or pay

Proceed only if:

You started from an official Calgary Parking option (website, app or ticket system)
The website address looks correct and familiar
The request matches your parking session or ticket

Stop if:

A QR code looks altered or out of place
You receive a text or email asking for payment
You are sent to an unfamiliar website
The message feels urgent or threatening
Payment is requested through unusual methods (e.g., gift cards, e-transfer)

Official parking payment options

Call or Text to Park:
This is a customer-initiated payment option for parking sessions.

That means you choose to call or text to start or end a parking session. We will not send you an unexpected text message demanding payment for a parking ticket or fine.

Common parking scams to watch for

Stop.

Pause before entering personal or payment information.

Verify.

Use official Calgary Parking channels only:

Report.

Report suspicious tickets, QR codes, e-mails, text messages or websites.

Text messages

You may receive a text message saying you owe money for a parking ticket, photo radar ticket or overdue fine.

Do not click the link. Calgary Parking and The City of Calgary do not send unsolicited text messages asking you to pay for a parking ticket or fine.

Emails

You may receive an email that looks like it is from Calgary Parking or The City of Calgary and asks you to pay for a ticket or provide personal information.

Do not click links or open attachments if the message looks suspicious. Verify through official Calgary Parking channels first.

Fake printed tickets

A fake ticket may be placed on your windshield and may include a City logo, ticket number, fine amount, QR code or payment link.

Do not use payment links, QR codes or instructions printed on a suspicious ticket. Verify the ticket through Calgary Parking before paying.

Suspicious QR codes

A QR code may be placed near a parking sign, pay machine, lot entrance or other payment location and may send you to an unfamiliar payment website.

Do not enter personal or payment information if the QR code looks added, altered, damaged, placed over another sign or connected to a website you do not recognize.

Fake websites and links

Scammers may create websites that look similar to official Calgary Parking or ParkPlus pages.

Before entering payment information, check the website's address carefully. If you are unsure, close the page and go directly to our website.

How to know you are using official Calgary Parking ticket payment options

Only use official Calgary Parking payment and verification channels.:

To verify a ticket online, you will need the ticket or tag number and the vehicle licence plate number.

If a ticket does not appear online right away, it may take time to become available. Do not use an unfamiliar payment site. Try again later or call Calgary Parking at 403-537-7000.

QR code safety

QR codes can be useful, but they should be treated like links. Take a moment to check before you scan or enter information.

what is the city doing

Before scanning a QR code

Look at where the QR code is placed. Be cautious if it:

Looks like a separate sticker added over a sign, pay machine or label
Appears damaged, altered or out of place
Covers another QR code, label or payment instruction
Has unclear branding or no explanation of where it leads
Sends you to a website address you do not recognize

drive to zero

After scanning a QR code

Before entering any information:

Check the website address carefully
Make sure the page looks like an official Calgary Parking or ParkPlus payment option
Do not continue if the page asks for information that seems unrelated to parking
Do not continue if the page uses urgent or threatening language
Do not continue if the website address looks misspelled, unfamiliar or unrelated to Calgary Parking

what is the city doing

If you are unsure

Do not use the QR code. Instead:

Use the MyParking app
Use Pay as Guest
Use a pay machine
Call 403-537-7275 to start your parking session, then call again to end it
Text "start" and the 4-digit zone number to 77587 to begin your parking session. Text "end" and the zone number to end it early

You do not need to scan a QR code to pay safely.

Checking if a parking ticket is real

✅ Before paying, check:

The ticket, tag or infraction notice number
The licence plate number
The date and location
The formatting and print quality
The payment website listed on the ticket

Be cautious if a ticket has:

Handwritten licence plate or fine details
Strange formatting or spelling mistakes
A blurry, stretched or unusual logo
No ticket or tag number
A payment link that is not an official Calgary Parking website
A QR code that sends you to an unfamiliar site
Payment instructions asking for e-transfer, cash transfer, gift cards, cryptocurrency or third-party payment apps
Directions to pay through a website that does not match Calgary Parking’s official payment channels

Photo notices: If a notice includes a photo of your vehicle, do not pay from an informal printed notice, flyer or link unless you have verified it through Calgary Parking.

If you are unsure, do not pay yet. Verify first.

What to do if you think you're being scammed

Receiving a text or email about a parking ticket

Do not click the link.
Do not reply.
Do not enter personal or payment information.
Check your ticket through parkingtickets.calgaryparking.com.
If you are unsure, call 403-537-7000.
If you did not lose money or share personal information, report the message to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
If you lost money or shared personal information, report it to Calgary Police Service and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Finding a suspicious QR code or sticker

Do not scan it.
Do not enter personal or payment information.
If safe, take a photo of the sticker and the surrounding sign, pay machine or location.
Note the location, date and time.
Report it to Calgary Parking at 403-537-7000 or parking@calgary.ca.
Use an official Calgary Parking payment option instead.

Scanned a QR code but didn't enter information

Close the page.
Do not continue if the website looks unfamiliar.
Use calgaryparking.com, the MyParking app, Pay as Guest, a pay machine or Call or text park.
Report the suspicious QR code or website to Calgary Parking.

Entered personal or payment information on a suspicious site

Act quickly but stay calm.

Contact your bank or credit card provider.
Tell them your payment information may have been entered into a suspicious website.
Monitor your accounts for unusual activity.
Change passwords if you reused the same password elsewhere.
Save any screenshots, website addresses, receipts, emails, text messages or photos.
Report the incident to the Calgary Police Service at 403-266-1234.
Report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca.

Received a suspicious printed ticket

Do not follow payment instructions on the ticket.
Do not scan a QR code printed on a suspicious ticket.
Check the ticket through parkingtickets.calgaryparking.com.
Call Calgary Parking at 403-537-7000 if you are unsure.
Keep a photo or copy of the ticket so details can be reviewed.
Report suspicious tickets to Calgary Parking.

Report a parking scam

There are a few options you have if you see suspicious activity:

Calgary Parking Contact Centre
403-537-7000 or parking@calgary.ca

Contact if you see a suspicious text, phone call. QR code, ticket or website. Please include the location, date and time, photo of suspicious activity, any payment receipt or confirmation, and the ticket number and licence plate number if shown.
Calgary Police Service
Call the non-emergency line at 203-266-1234

Report to the Calgary Police Service if you lost money, shared personal or payment information or believe your identity information has been misused.
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca or 1-888-495-8501

Contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre if you received a suspicious message but didn't lose money or if you want to report attempted fraud or cybercrime.