Got a text about a Vancouver parking ticket? It's a scam, city says
The City of Vancouver is warning residents not to click on links or give personal information in response to text messages about overdue parking tickets claiming to be from the city.
"We have been notified of a scam targeting people through text messages requesting they pay an overdue parking ticket," the city said on its municipal Twitter account Wednesday.
"This is not the city, we do not notify the public of fines through texting, media or social media."
The only means the city uses to collect parking-related fines are tickets placed on vehicles or mailed to their registered owners, according to the city's website.
The city advised recipients to report the fraudulent messages to their cellphone providers and then delete them.
Vancouver is far from the only government entity scammers have impersonated in an attempt to gain access to money and personal information.
Within days of the announcement that ICBC would be offering drivers a one-time payment aimed at lightening the burden of high gas prices, fraudsters had already begun sending scam texts claiming rebates were available.
Likewise, RCMP detachments and municipal police departments across B.C. have warned of scammers "spoofing" their phone numbers and attempting to convince people to pay supposed fines, often demanding payment in cryptocurrency.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.