Two women visiting Birmingham claim they were scammed by 'fake' Clean Air Zone payment website
Two women who visited Birmingham last month claim they were scammed by 'fake' Clean Air Zone payment website.
Jenny Begley and Rebecca Humphreys travelled from Cheshire to the city on October 15, 2022.
When they approached the centre, they saw signs warning them they were entering the Clean Air Zone.
Ms. Begley proceeded to search the relevant website on her phone, and claims she put Ms. Humphreys car details into a page which looked legitimate, and paid the £12.50 that the website was charging.
The women then received a receipt for the payment and continued to enjoy their weekend.
However, upon arriving home the pair were shocked when Ms Humphreys received two PCN's from the City Council informing them they had not paid the Clean Air Zone fee. In total, they were charged £120 (reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days).
The women now believe that the website they originally used to 'pay the Clean Air Zone fee' was in fact a scam website, that they had fallen victim too.
The women are now attempting to appeal the PCN.
In an interview Ms Begley said: "It was a completely honest mistake. I found lots of reviews on Trustpilot and it says that other people have been caught out."It (the website) looked so official, when I went back on the website, I was still convinced it was the right website. It could go up to £240 if the appeal fails."
Mrs Begley also said the signs, which tell motorists they are about to enter the zone, do not inform which website to go to in order to pay safely. Meanwhile, the website in question no longer appears online.Dozens of drivers have taken to Trustpilot in October saying they were also caught out while others paid up when they were exempt all along.A spokesperson from Birmingham City Council said: "We recommend to anyone who drives into Birmingham city centre refer to Birmingham City Council’s website; www.brumbreathes.co.uk, where more information about Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone is available, including a link to the official vehicle compliance checker which will confirm whether or not your vehicle is subject to the daily fee."The daily fee for smaller vehicles, such as cars, vans, and taxis, is £8 and for larger vehicles, such as HGVs and coaches, is £50."The Clean Air Zone was launched in June 2021, is aimed at cutting pollution in and around the city centre and figures released earlier this year showed around 8,000 fewer cars and vehicles were passing through the area daily.