Viral QR Code Scam Exposed: How Fraudulent Parking Attendants Are Bypassing Official Payment Systems

When the vehicle owner scanned the QR code, "Vinod Kumar" appeared as the recipient instead of the expected MCD.

New Delhi:

A viral video circulating on social media has exposed what appears to be a payment scam in a parking lot allegedly operating under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) name.

The footage shows an attendant using a Razorpay point-of-sale (POS) device while displaying a PhonePe QR code instead of an official MCD payment interface, raising immediate suspicion from the vehicle owner.

Despite repeated questioning about this discrepancy, the attendant avoided providing clear explanations while continuing to request payment.

The deception became evident when the driver scanned the QR code and discovered the payment was being directed to someone named "Vinod Kumar" rather than the MCD. When questioned, the attendant admitted he was indeed Vinod Kumar, claiming that contractors collect parking fees on behalf of the MCD.

The incident quickly gained traction across social media platforms.

One social media user commented, "Razorpay wasn't ready for this crossover."

Another user defended the practice, stating, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but in every MCD parking I've used, the payment receipt never shows MCD as the beneficiary -- it always shows the contractor's name who has the parking contract. And if the contractor is issuing the parking slip, the beneficiary name shouldn't really matter."

A third person observed, "There is a sure-shot sign of corruption, and it is the moment you ask a question, they will suddenly act retarded, speak gibberish, and break the flow of conversation."

Razorpay founder Shashank Kumar responded to the viral post, announcing plans to restrict device gallery access in their next software update: "In the next software upgrade we will disable gallery access unless really needed for the seller."

Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma used the opportunity to promote his company's solution, claiming, "Only Paytm Soundbox solves the problem for many offline scams!"

According to DataLEADS, a Delhi-based media and technology company, India lost Rs 22,842 crore to cybercriminals and fraudsters in 2024.