Skip to main content
Clear icon
66º

Don’t fall for it: BBB reports fake parking ticket scams on the rise nationwide

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK - MARCH 8: A parking ticket is placed on the windscreen of a vehicle in the Brooklyn n neighborhood of New York City on March 8, 2020. Parking tickets can cost as low as $60 and as high as $125. Revenue from parking fines was $545 million in fiscal year 2016. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images) (Robert Nickelsberg, 2020 Robert Nickelsberg)

HOUSTON – Reports of fake parking tickets are on the rise as consumers were reportedly scammed by tickets that looked surprisingly real.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) says scammers are using new technology such as high-tech, handheld printers to create fake parking tickets that look similar to official tickets from police officers, even if drivers are confident they have parked legally.

Recommended Videos



Scammers use these printers to create a fake ticket and leave it on your car’s windshield and it’ll usually ask you to pay online via PayPal, CashApp or via QR code. It is also a tactic for them to steal personal information.

The BBB also says out-of-state tourists are scammers’ preferred target as they need to familiarize themselves with local parking laws.

If you’re parking somewhere, here’s what you need to know:

  • Know before you park - Before parking at a new place, make sure you know what the requirements are.
  • Examine the ticket carefully - Some parking tickets may have fake city logos and office names, and can also have a website. Do your research on the internet and search for the city’s official parking website and compare the info. Keep in mind that government sites, such as Houston Police Department or the City of Houston, end in a .gov designation.
  • Double-check the names -- where should the check be made out to? - If the payment requires a check, double-check the name and address and make sure it’s a government organization, not a string of names.

To learn more about parking ticket scams, click here.


About the Author

A graduate of the University of Houston-Downtown, Ana moved to H-Town from sunny southern California in 2015. In 2020, she joined the KPRC 2 digital team as an intern. Ana is a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, a catmom of 3, and an aquarium enthusiast. In her spare time, she's an avid video gamer and loves to travel.

Loading...