A text message scam is currently circulating that impersonates RingGo, a parking payment service, according to security experts and the company itself. The fraudulent messages warn recipients that they owe outstanding parking charges and direct them to click a link to settle the debt. However, the link leads to a counterfeit website that closely mimics the legitimate RingGo site, allowing criminals to capture usernames, passwords, and payment card details.
Graham Conway, managing director of Select Car Leasing, explains that advances in artificial intelligence have enabled scammers to create convincing replicas of authentic websites. When users input their credentials on the fake site, the information goes directly to criminal networks, who can then drain bank accounts or sell personal data on the dark web.
Security researchers have identified several telltale signs that distinguish these messages as fraudulent. The text may contain spelling errors, such as “RingGo Customer Servicess,” and the web address bears no resemblance to the official RingGo domain. Additionally, the link may initially fail to function. According to Serpil Hall, a security expert from Datos Insights, this malfunction is deliberate and targets iPhone users specifically. Apple’s iMessage service blocks links from unknown senders, but once a recipient replies to the message—even with a single character—the sender becomes classified as known and the link activates.
The choice of RingGo as the impersonation target is strategic, Hall notes, as parking services represent plausible notifications to most drivers, involve small sums unlikely to trigger immediate suspicion, and carry perceived consequences for non-payment. The texts identified by news organizations displayed country codes from Morocco, though security experts indicate the perpetrators are likely based elsewhere and use low-cost routing methods to obscure their location.
RingGo officials advise customers never to click links in such messages and to delete them immediately. Users can verify legitimate parking charges through the official RingGo app or website. Those who receive the texts can report them to the National Cyber Security Centre by texting the message to 7726. Anyone who has already clicked a malicious link and entered financial information should contact their bank immediately and change passwords.
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