A viral video circulating on X has triggered concerns about an alleged QR-code parking scam operating under the guise of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The clip shows a man collecting parking fees using a Razorpay point-of-sale (POS) machine, but with a PhonePe QR code displayed inside the POS screen, instantly raising suspicion among the vehicle owners recording the video.
In the footage, the driver repeatedly asks the attendant why a Razorpay machine is displaying a PhonePe QR code. The man fails to offer a clear explanation and continues asking for the parking fee. When the QR is finally scanned, the payment receiver’s name appears as Vinod Kumar, not the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The vehicle owners refuse to pay, questioning why an MCD-managed parking lot would redirect money to a private individual.
The attendant then claims he himself is Vinod Kumar and that the “thekadar” (contractor) is authorised to collect fees on behalf of the MCD. This is where the confusion, and the controversy, deepens.
Users say contractors often collect fees, not MCD
The video triggered a flood of reactions. Several X users pointed out that MCD parking receipts rarely show the municipal body’s name, and typically display the contractor’s details instead. Some users from Mumbai added that a similar contractor-based system is used there as well.
But the odd combination of a different QR code appearing on a third-party POS device raised legitimate concerns about misdirected payments and the potential for scams exploiting unsuspecting users.
Razorpay, Paytm founders respond
The video caught the attention of key fintech leaders too. Razorpay founder Shashank Kumar, reacting to the incident, said the company will disable unnecessary gallery access in an upcoming software update, a feature some believe scammers use to insert fraudulent QR codes into machines.
His announcement received mixed responses: while some praised the quick action, others worried that scammers simply won’t update their devices, allowing loopholes to persist.
Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma also weighed in, pointing out that Paytm’s soundbox feature helps prevent such offline scams by audibly confirming the recipient’s name after payment. His comment sparked jokes about slipping in product promotion, while others began comparing Paytm’s safety features with Razorpay’s systems.
What users should keep in mind
The viral clip serves as a reminder that QR-based fraud is evolving, and even routine payments, like parking fees, require caution. Always:
-Check the merchant’s name after scanning.
-Ask for a printed receipt if available.
-Verify whether the lot is actually MCD-authorised.
For now, the video continues to fuel debate over contractor transparency, payment safety and whether city authorities need to tighten monitoring of parking fee collections.
