The City of San Diego is warning residents and visitors of a phishing scam that impersonates a City webpage requesting payment for parking citations. Through a message sent via SMS text message, recipients are notified of phony parking tickets, with instructions to click a link and pay the balance online.

The City’s cybersecurity team is working with authorities, including the San Diego Police Department, to take down the fraudulent webpage and identify those responsible.  Anyone who receives the parking citation message in a text message is urged not to follow the links and to avoid entering credit card or payment information.

Visit sandiego.gov/parking/citations to verify the status of a parking citation or safely make a payment online. If you receive a text about parking citations, avoid clicking or following any link. Instead, visit the City’s website or call the Parking Administration at 866-470-1308. The phone number is monitored between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.

Community members are encouraged to remain vigilant regarding cybersecurity threats. To learn more, visit the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. For additional concerns or questions regarding parking enforcement, get in touch with the City’s Parking Administration office.