Drivers in Baltimore should be on the lookout for a new parking meter scam when they pay for parking at machines and meters throughout the city.
Stickers with QR codes, pictured above, have been appearing on meters and on pay-for-parking machines, encouraging drivers to scan the code in order to pay for parking instead of using the prompts on the screen and slots provided on the machine or meter itself.
Tiffany James, Communications Manager for the Parking Authority of Baltimore City (PABC), told Baltimore Fishbowl that they began noticing the stickers appearing on parking meters last week and have been removing them.
“We didn’t place them and we’re concerned that scammers might be trying to use the parking meters to attract people to their website and we don’t want people to think that that is the way to pay parking meter,” James said.
James said she hasn’t scanned the QR code herself, so she does not know where it leads and doesn’t know what the ramifications would be for scanning it. Regardless, she is warning people not to scan it because it did not come from the Parking Authority.
In addition to James noticing one of the stickers herself last week, a resident asked the Parking Authority about the stickers on X (formerly Twitter) as well.
On Tuesday, the PABC posted a message on social media with a picture of the stickers and a caution not to scan, reading: “Scammers have been placing stickers on our parking meters that say, ‘Scan to pay.’ These are not legitimate. We are removing these stickers as we find them. Follow the instructions on the meter’s display to pay. Do not scan the QR code printed on the stickers.”
Scammers have been placing stickers on our parking meters that say "Scan to pay." These are not legitimate. We are removing these stickers as we find them. Follow the instructions on the meter's display to pay. Do not scan the QR code printed on the stickers. pic.twitter.com/qvjWvT7pZj — parkingauthbc (@ParkingAuthBC) January 30, 2024
According to James, only around 5 stickers have been spotted and/or removed. These were in the neighborhoods of Highlandtown, the Central Business District, and Harbor East.
James urged residents who see these stickers to report them by emailing ezparkmeters@bcparking.com. Parking authority employees are taking them down once they are notified where a sticker has been placed, and as they see them while checking and maintaining meters in the course of their normal operations.
So far, no one has told James that they have been a victim of the scam, having scanned the code, for example, instead of paying the meter and getting a parking ticket as a result. “We’re trying to prevent that from happening,” James said.
I lived in downtown Baltimore, next to the courthouse, and parked on the street a lot… however, I’m now in Ann Arbor, and frankly, there is an app you can use for parking… each street spot has a number, and you enter it, say how long you want to stay, and it automatically pays off your saved card. There are machines as well, but you don’t have to take a ticket back to put on your dash. And the “meter maids” can in a moment see if any cars on the block are past due, without having to try to read little chits in dashes or some such. And, with an official app, no chance for scams like this.