Jacksonville, FL – How frustrating! You walk up to your car and notice a parking ticket on the windshield. But before you pay your fine, check to make sure the ticket is legitimate.
There are many parking ticket scams designed to obtain your personal information.
Here’s how it works and how to spot fake parking tickets.
The Better Business Bureau is warning drivers after a string of reports of fake parking tickets. Scammers use handheld printers to create fake tickets and leave them on the windshield of the car. The BBB says they can go into great detail, with some scammers even using QR codes.
If you follow the instructions, you’ll end up paying a fine you don’t actually owe and leaking your personal information.
Before visiting a new place, the Better Business Bureau recommends researching available parking spaces and parking requirements. If you get cited – look carefully. Scammers can imitate logos and city office names.
Search the internet for the city’s official parking ticket website and compare what you find.
Next, double check who needs to pay for the ticket. Checks should be done against a specific organization, not against a string of initials or individual names.
Another way to protect yourself – pay with a credit card. This makes it easier to dispute fraudulent charges.
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