CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Whether you’re going out to grab dinner or watch a movie, the one thing you probably don’t look forward to paying is parking fees. Paying for parking has gotten easier over time, as you can make the payment on your cellphone these days, but scams are taking advantage of some of those conveniences. 

What You Need To Know

  • Thieves can steal your payment information using a fake QR code

  • Most QR code traps are pasted right on top of the real QR code at parking meters

  • To avoid this trick, pay for parking directly though the meter

The Better Business Bureau recently reported seeing an uptick in parking scam complaints. President and CEO Tom Bartholomy says he’s witnessed the scam himself. 

“Going out to a restaurant, pulled up out front — there was some street parking,” he said. “I looked at the meter and there was a little QR code label." 

He says when he pulled his phone out to scan it, something looked off to him.

“As soon as it popped up on my phone where it was going to take me, I said, 'Wait a second.' Then I looked at that QR code, and the little label on it was a little off-center,” he said. “So, I lifted it up a bit, and the real QR code was underneath that."  

That’s why he says it’s always good to double-check those labels. And if you miss this step, pay close attention to the URL. He says the devil is in the details. 

“This was a parking meter on the street, that means it’s a city-operated parking meter. And it wasn’t taking me to a city-operated website,” he said, warning drivers to steer clear of a site like that. Also, watch out for short URL links.

However, private parking lots will use private companies to collect payment. In that case, he says try to pay directly at the meter.

Bartholomy says not only are scammers stealing your credit card information with this scam; they can steal your identity, too.  

He recommends installing a QR scanner on your phone for added protection.