Around big events, scammers have used fake parking tickets that tell you to pay through a QR code or a text link. Official city tickets can be checked on the city's own court or violations site, not through a random code on a flyer or windshield.
Phones across the country have been getting texts that claim you owe a toll or ticket and must pay through a link to avoid a fine or license problem. State attorneys general say government agencies do not text people out of the blue to demand that kind of payment.
Scammers pose as a power, gas, or water company, threaten a shutoff, and push you to a fake website, ad, or phone number. Real utilities do not demand same-day payment by gift card, crypto, a payment app, or a mystery QR code.