Fake QR codes are popping up on Montreal parking signs and scanning them could cost you

If you use your phone to pay for parking around Montreal, you might want to take a closer look at the sign before entering your credit card information. Officials are warning that fake QR codes are being slapped onto city parking signs.

According to the Agence de mobilité durable de Montréal, some posters on city parking signs have been vandalized with fraudulent QR codes that can redirect you to malicious websites. The agency posted the alert to Facebook on July 11, adding that its official signage "does not include any QR codes."

"If you see one," the agency wrote, "it is important not to scan it! They could redirect you to malicious sites." The agency says its team is actively working to find and remove the fake stickers as quickly as possible and is asking Montrealers to report any suspicious signage. The same notice now also appears on the agency's website.

The scam comes just as Montreal transitions to a brand new parking app called Mobicité, which will replace the old P$ Mobile Service app on July 31, 2025.

Developed locally by Quebec-based Mirego, the new app charges the same $0.07 transaction fee as before and lets users pay for street parking and some city-run lots. It also adds new features like:

• a 10-minute warning before your session ends
• a live timer showing remaining time
• support for multiple credit cards

Drivers still pay by entering the zone number posted on signs — no scanning required. That makes the sudden appearance of QR codes on parking posters all the more suspicious.

To stay safe, people can report any suspicious parking metre signage to sac@agencemobilitedurable.ca or directly on the Mobicité iOS or Android app. And if you're unsure, you can always make a manual payment at a nearby metre.

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