The City of Kingston does not issue parking fines via text message, the municipality stressed as a parking ticket scam is making the rounds.
In a press release on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, the City advised of “fake parking ticket text messages circulating in Kingston.” Such incidents have been reported recently, the municipality said, noting that the text messages are “typically generic and may include statements such as ‘Parking Notice: Your vehicle was parked in a prohibited area.’” The messages often urge the recipient to “avoid penalties,” the City said, and the texts contain a link “for payment.”
“Do not click any links in these messages. Delete the text immediately,” the City of Kingston stated, noting the municipality does no issue parking fine notifications by text message.
According to the municipality, the only legitimate methods used by the City to issue parking fines are:
“Vehicle owner information is obtained from the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO). The MTO provides only the registered owner’s name and mailing address, never a phone number,” the City of Kingston emphasized.
“Official notices always include details such as the ticket number and may also list the location and by-law infraction.” Residents who are unsure about the legitimacy of a parking fine notice can contact the City directly at 613-546-0000, or via email at [email protected].
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