You might be a victim of this scam if you live or drive in London, UK.
The Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ) is an area where every motorist has to pay a daily fee in order to drive there.
The charge was aimed at reducing congestion and raising funds for the development of London’s public transport system. Huge fines (between £80 and£120) are given if you don’t pay the fee. The scam comes in the form of a very well designed and official-looking e-mail, which tells you that your car has been spotted in the Zone but was not registered as having the fee paid.
The e-mail offers a link to photographic evidence that your car was there, but somehow you won’t be able to open the link. But there is another link, this time accessible, where victims can pay their “fines”. Although they cannot open the photographic proof, many victims believe they have been caught and still pay the fee to the scammers. A time-limit discount is also offered if the “fine” is paid within the 24 hours, which makes the victims think they actually got away easily.
How to avoid: if you ever get a real fine for not paying the Congestion Charge, it has to be paid through the official Congestion Charging website, so check that website first to see what it should look like. If you get a fine and know that you were not guilty, you can contact the official website and put in an appeal.