Nasty scam on the rise Lucerne police warn of this Twint scam at parking meters

Fake QR codes for payment via Twint have been discovered on numerous parking meters in the city of Lucerne. The Lucerne police urge caution.

Fraudsters are currently on the loose in the canton of Lucerne and have drivers in their sights. They are attaching fake QR codes to parking meters for payment via Twint, writes the Lucerne police in a press release.

Several dozen such fake QR codes were discovered in the city of Lucerne on Monday. The Lucerne police have issued a warning about the scammers - and give tips on prevention: To avoid falling into the trap, there are a few tricks to check the authenticity of a Twint code at the parking meter.

How to protect yourself

The counterfeit stickers explicitly ask you to scan the QR code with your camera. However, always use the Twint or respective parking app directly to scan the payment code. If the code is fake, an error message will appear in the app.

The counterfeit stickers also usually have qualitative defects, such as spelling mistakes or inferior print quality. In addition, the counterfeit stickers are stuck over the original stickers and are usually easy to remove or the sticker underneath is visible.

If you end up on an unknown website after scanning, you should never disclose your bank details.

What you must do if you become a victim of fraud

If you have already made a transfer, you should immediately block your credit card and, if necessary, your bank account. It is best to contact your bank to discuss the next steps. It is also advisable to contact a police station in your area and file a report.