Visitors to a popular seaside are being warned about scammers who used QR codes to . Fake stickers were spotted attached to legitimate parking metres at the Dunes in South Shields, , last month.

But when scanned, the codes took drivers to a pay zone site where their details were swiped by on the other side. Sean Stoker, 21, used the car park for a recent stay with his mum Jane when they fell into the trap. The CNC machinist received a notification informing him over £60 had been taken and spent at a shop as well as a failed attempt to purchase form .

Support worker mum Jane, 53, said: "We were going for a meal and we knew we had to pay to use this car park. There was a sticker on the machine saying scan me and Sean said it didn't look right. I said it would be fine and I scanned it but realised I left my bank card at home because I usually use my phone.

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"Sean then put his details in from his Monzo card. After that here was a circle going around the screen and it took ages to process. He tried again and it was still taking a while but we were confident it had paid so we left and went for the meal. But when you purchase something from Monzo your phone pings and after we came out he got a notification.

"It said he had paid £61.90 from Caprinos Pizza in so straight away he froze his card. They then tried to use it at another pizza shop and on but luckily the card was declined by then." After making enquiries, staff at Caprinos handed Jane the contact details for the buyer of the £61.90 order.

Jane was told the customer was a Persian male but when she phoned the suspect he denied any knowledge. The mother and son reported the matter but are waiting to speak with police. Jane added: "We were devastated at the thought we had been scammed.

"They would have wiped it out had Sean not have frozen the card. An hour later we drove back to the car park and ripped off the stickers. When we arrived, another man said his phone was taking ages so he must have been scammed too. On there have been lots of people saying they have too. The scammers are clever, they know what they are doing."

Last year, Northumbria, , and forces received 43 reports of scam QR codes in contrast to 2019 where there was just one.

Visiting the car park, Stewart Hepton, 76, a retired factory worker, said: "It's disgraceful that it is happening. You now have to check the machines to make sure they are fine. I always use cash when I can because there are that many scams going on but you can't always do that.

"I've tried using machines in the past that haven't recognised my cards and they ask you to use the app but I don't have them on my phone. Any slight issue with these machines now makes me worry if I've been scammed."

Amie Mackin said her parents wouldn't think twice about scanning the codes. The 24-year-old senior care nurse said: "I am not surprised that this is happening because you can stick these QR codes anywhere. I always pay manually on the website and make sure I'm doing it properly.

"I have been scammed in the past through texts that I've been sent because they look clever. If my parents saw the QR code they would scan it straight away thinking that is quicker. QR codes are easier to scan than typing in manual payment details so it will catch a lot of people." Former steel worker Jeff Davies, admitted he would fall directly in the trap had he not been aware.

Jeff, 74, said: "These scammers obviously have brains to pull it off. I had never heard of it happening but it does make you worry. I am old school and I would be the type to fall for it. I am not tech minded whatsoever.

"Using cash is totally fool-proof. You put your money in, get your ticket and away you go. I cannot believe the effort people are going through to scam others."

Cllr Ernest Gibson of South Tyneside Council said: "We have recently discovered fraudulent QR codes in our car parks and on street parking machines. We do not operate a QR payment system for parking in any of our car parks and these codes are not valid for parking payments.

"Accepted payment methods include coins, card and the Pay by Phone app. Visitors are advised not to scan the QR codes. If you think you have been a victim of this scam, please report the matter to Action Fraud."

A spokesperson said: "Sadly, following a rise in the use of QR codes in recent years this has seen an increase in criminals using this method to defraud members of the public.

"We would always advise people to only use QR codes which are provided through a trusted source. Inspect the QR code before scanning and make sure it does not appear altered or modified in any way, always checking the legitimate code hasn't been covered with a fraudulent sticker."