A 39 year old man has been indicted for allegedly placing fraudulent QR codes on Manhattan parking meters to steal motorist’s personal and financial information, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr, and the Department of Investigation Commissioner Nadia Shihata announced.
The alleged scheme was discovered after a driver encountered one of the fake QR codes on a parking meter in June 2025. The site asked for credit card number, expiration date, phone number, billing address and license plate number.
After several unsuccessful attempts to enter the information, the driver realized the QR code was on a sticker placed over the official PARKNYC information on the meter. He contacted his banks before suffering any financial loss.
The discovery prompted the Department of Transportation to inspect meters throughout Manhattan. Officials say they found and removed 64 fraudulent QR code stickers.
Investigators eventually connected Milhai Theodor Enescu to the account associated with the website, according to prosecutors. He also allegedly purchased two parks of 4 by 6 inch shipping labels that could be used to make the QR code stickers.
Mihai Theodor Enescu faces five counts of second-degree identity theft and six counts of second degree criminal impersonation. According to prosecutors, the East 10th Street sticker read “web pay. Scan to Pay” and directed the driver to a website displaying the PARKNYC logo.
“Scammers who prey upon people who are simply trying to feed the meter must be held accountable,” said NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn. “I congratulate the Department of Investigation and the Manhattan’s District Attorney’s Office for making an arrest in this case, and NYC DOT will continue to work with our partner agencies to crack down on this predatory behavior.”
Officials are reminding drivers that the city does not ask drivers to scan a QR code to pay for parking.
