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Scammers are hacking into bank accounts with a dodgy QR code taped to car park machines.

More than a dozen people have reported being swindled by the fraudsters who are targeting car parks in Lytham and St Annes this week.

One woman lost £1,500 to the scammers ‘within minutes’ of using one of the fake QR codes to pay for her parking at St Annes Beach Car Park.

“I was done only yesterday because of this,” said Vanessa Heathcote.

“I paid for parking, or so I thought, at the St Anne’s Beach car park using this (QR code) as I had no cash.

“Then £1,500 has gone out of my bank! They said just five minutes after I ‘paid’ someone tried adding my card to their Google Pay.

“Hopefully I will get it back as police, Action Fraud and the company he’s ordered things from with my card have been informed.

“Apparently he’s used my card to buy car parts in Hinckley (Leicestershire). My son paid same way on same day and they tried his yesterday too.”

Fylde Council said it has removed the stickers after it was made aware of the scam, but more have since appeared at car parks in Dicconson Terrace, St Paul’s Avenue and Stanner Bank | Fylde Council

Fylde Council are aware of the scam and say efforts have been made to remove the fake stickers from a number of car parks in Lytham and St Annes.

But the stickers have since appeared at other car parks, including Dicconson Terrace, St Paul’s Avenue and Stanner Bank.

The Council warns that scammers could return with more stickers, and is advising car park users to pay by cash or the official MiPermit App.

A spokesperson for Fylde Council said: “We've investigated and found stickers with a large QR code have been placed on some of our car park pay and display machines and tariff boards.

“If you see these QR codes please do not use them, they have been placed by scammers! If you have used them, please contact the police & your bank.”

An update added: “These stickers have been removed as far as we know. The safest way to use these machines is with cash or by downloading the MiPermit App.”

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Brandon Prestwich is another victim of the scam.

One of the scam QR codes found attached to the pay and display machine at Fairhaven Road Car Park in Lytham | Fylde Council

He said: “Me and my partner fell for this on Saturday afternoon. They then tried to take a £44 payment.

“Fortunately the bank refused the payment. All makes sense of who was trying to scam us. The name on the bank Statement was BITSA (a virtual prepaid VISA card).”

Another victim, who asked not to be named, said: “I got done by this on Monday. I got an alert from my bank last night about it. It’s all sorted but they tried to use it at Sainsburys for £104.”

Lancashire Police were approached for comment.

Scammers hack bank accounts with fake QR codes taped to car park machines in Lytham and St Annes