RESIDENTS and visitors using Cumberland Council car parks are being encouraged to be 'vigilant' after other local authority car parks elsewhere in the country have been targeted in a fake payment scam.

Scammers have been reported to have placed fake pay-by-phone QR codes on ticket machines, attempting to trick members of the public into using a fraudulent online platform to pay for their parking.

In Cumberland Council car parks the only digital payment option - except for Cecil Street, Carlisle - is called MiPermit - with the official app being downloadable from the Apple or Google Play stores or available via a web browser.

At Cecil Street the digital option is called Flowbird.

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A Spokesperson for Cumberland Council said “Please only use these services (should you choose to pay digitally) and only follow instructions from permanent council signage.

“Customers can also pay by card and coin.

“Using Mi-Permit (or Flowbird in Cecil Street) is quick, easy and allows you control your stay from your phone.

“It is in operation at the vast majority of council sites.

“Although there have been no reported instances in our car parks, council staff are remaining vigilant.”