For the brave ones among us who choose to navigate NYC by car, fair warning: a parking meter scam is fooling drivers across the city.
As if navigating traffic in the most congested city in the world wasn’t complicated enough, now faux QR codes are appearing on parking meters, sending drivers to a third party site that steals their credit card information.
Should you be making the rounds by car, the New York City Department of Transportation has provided the lowdown on what to avoid.
A parking meter scam is fooling NYC drivers
According to the NYC DOT, a fraudulent sticker with a QR code has appeared on the side of several parking meters, prompting users to put in their financial info into another website. Commuters think they’re paying for their metered spot, when in reality, they’re shelling out private info to an unknown site.
“Consumers beware: scammers are targeting parking meters, and we want you to be vigilant. If you see a QR code on a parking meter, do not scan it and please report it,” NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said in a statement. “This is a scam to collect your payment information, and we are working with law enforcement to hold those responsible accountable.”
Friendly reminder from the DOT: The only way to pay for metered parking in New York City is through the official ParkNYC app or on a physical ParkNYC parking meter.
A citywide inspection is in place to get rid of the QR code stickers. Should you come across one, the NYC DOT urges you to report it to ParkNYC at 1-800-428-4027 or via email at parknyc@flowbirdapp.com.
If you feel as though you might’ve fallen for the scam, call your credit card company immediately, report the crime, and confirm the location of the parking meter to the DOT.
And, to stay safe extra safe, we highly recommend perfecting your parallel parking skills so that you can squeeze into that teeny, tiny side street spot sans meter. (Don’t worry, we won’t judge.)