Parking Ticket Scams You Need To Avoid
Beware of a couple of parking ticket scams that might come to you in the form of a fake parking ticket online. There are two variations, both of them making thousands of victims all over the world as you are reading this. Don’t be one of them. In this article, we will take a look at how they work and how to avoid them.
Here they are:
Scenario 1: Parking Ticket Online Scam
Watch the video below to see how the first scenario of the scam works:
Imagine the following scenario. You make a stop to pick something up and park in a place that seems fine for a few minutes. Upon return, you already have a parking ticket on your windshield.
The issuer is a department of your city’s administrative offices, and they ask you to pay online – that looks perfectly reasonable. The trouble is that the scammers have become increasingly sophisticated – the ticket looked official enough, and the website for paying looks fine, but it’s a scam.
Scenario 2: Parking Ticket Scam As Collection Services Letter
In a second variation of the scam, the fine comes in the mail. You receive an envelope from the “Parking Collection Services” (or something named similar, according to your city administrative structure) claiming that you owe anything from $35 or $150 for unauthorized parking in one of your local parking lots. The name of the lot could be mentioned or not.
The mailing lists a post office box as an address. The letter claims to be a “Notice of Assignment to a Collection Agency” for these fines. You are either required to call the number on the letter. If you do, the scammers will ask for payment over the phone.
Alternatively, as you can see below, the photo proof of your apparent “negligent driving” is also offered. You are taken to a website where you are required to put in more personal information, just so “you can prove your identity”.
Fake Parking Tickets: How To Avoid
For Scenario 1 of the fake parking tickets, check that the website starts with “https” in the browser (look for the letter “s” at the end of “http”, as every secure payment site has this). If in doubt, call the city and inquire about the authenticity of the ticket you received.
When it comes to payments over the phone, you have to know all the details before you call. Don’t use the number listed on the phony letter, but instead call your city’s parking department by searching for their number online, on the city’s official website.
Meanwhile, since we are still on vehicle-related scams, beware of a couple of other scams happening this week, the Highest New Car Rebates scheme and the Car Accident Compensation Claim Scam.
Parking Ticket Scams: How To Report Them
Make your family and friends aware of the Parking Ticket Scam by sharing it on social media using the buttons provided. You can also officially report the scammers to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) using the link below:
Report Scammers To The FTC Here
How To Protect Yourself More:
If you want to be the first to find out the most notorious scams every week, feel free to subscribe to the Scam Detector newsletter here. You’ll receive periodical emails and we promise not to spam. Last but not least, use the Comments section below to expose other parking ticket online scammers.
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I received a parking ticket in the mail from the City Of San Antonio and it has my correct license plate number and a 35.00 fine. I have not been to San Antonio for 40 years and I live 4 hours away. I checked the ticket number on the City of San Antonio web site and it has my ticket listed there. I sent an email to them stating their officer must have transposed some numbers and that it is a mistake. Surely they can look at the ticket and see the vehicle description. (hopefully they put one there) . It would cost me twice the amount to drive there and contest. Not sure what will happen as of this post.
Numerous Parking tickets from City of Las Vegas for car I sold 2 yrs. ago. They want money sent to Los Angeles, CA??
Just got one of these on an old account I rarely use anymore. They did get the city right but the e-mail itself was amateurish with obvious spelling and grammar errors and the links were just colored lines. Even looking at the source showed there was no link there for either the picture or how to unsubscribe
Checking the address it was for a Latvian site called "altdotfamily.com". Going to the site just brought up "Site is operational!" in Russian and that’s it.
Remember: Unless you have cleared it with the city to connect your e-mail address to your license they will never send you an e-mail saying you need to pay a parking ticket.
Received a notice from the City of Antioch, California Wants payment sent to a PO Box in Denver Colorado. I have never been to Antioch.
I just got one from EasyPark, but never been to Vancouver! Watch out!
Let them send me one, freaking idiots, I don’t own a vehicle right now.
Scammers must believe there are a lot of stupid people out there for this one to work. I got this notice for an unpaid parking ticket in SAN ANTONIO, TX (which I’ve never been to) and sent from an AUSTRALIAN (.au) email address. At least pick a location closer to where I live, which is approx. 4500 km from San Antonio, and use a PHONY Texas email address — maybe then I’ll bite.
I just got this in an email I don’t even live in California… YES it is a SCAM
City of Los Angeles records indicate that a parking citation(s) issued to the vehicle described below has not been paid. This fines and applicable penalties area past due and must be paid within the next ten calendar days. DMV records show that you are/were the registered owner at the time this vehicle was cited. Therefore, you are legally responsible for responding to this notice.
9163538 OFF-STREET HEAD-IN METER VIOLATION $40
Yes l know better myself too to be fool by these scammers, as l have written in the past and true to this date that after sending a total of 18 e-mails to BidouBids.com still have not reply to me nor to,my bank sincelejo already stop my credit card from Feb-28-2014
I will be more careful in giving my credit card online to these auction site like BidouBids.com, since nothing is free and what a hassle trying to get my money bank from my bank
Have a nice day