Scammers at work during Auto Show may create authentic-looking tickets or sell parking spaces they do not own.





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*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:*
January 10, 2025




*Media Contact:*
Danny Wimmer <[email protected]>






AG Nessel Advises Attendees to Be Aware of Parking Scams During Detroit Auto Show

*LANSING* – As many drive to experience the Detroit Auto Show, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel warns residents about potential parking scams that may affect attendees. Eager visitors arriving by car often park in privately owned lots, but sometimes scammers take advantage of these events to sell parking spaces for lots they don’t have authority over – which could lead to cars being ticketed, towed, or even worse, stolen. 

“While it’s important to have fun and experience everything the Detroit Auto Show has to offer, it’s also important to be smart,” Nessel said. “Planning your parking ahead of time and being cautious can help you avoid scammers.” 

Nessel encourages residents to ask for a receipt or parking ticket upon payment, to never give their keys to the attendant unless there are posted valet signs and they’ve confirmed ahead of time with the location that the valet service is one they offer.  

Another scam involves bad actors issuing fake parking tickets. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns that technology makes it easy [ [link removed] ] for bad actors to create authentic appearing parking tickets. The fake ticket will ask consumers to pay online or use a QR code [ [link removed] ]. Nessel reminds residents to visit that municipality’s website directly or to call the court and verify the existence of the ticket before following the web or QR code directions.  

 The BBB offers the following advice to avoid falling for this scam:  


* *Know before you park.* Before visiting a new place, research available parking and local parking requirements. Tourists with out-of-state plates are often the preferred target for parking scams because they are likely unfamiliar with local parking laws. 

* *Examine the citation carefully.* Scammers can imitate logos and city office names, but an imitation website is usually where the scam comes to light. Do an internet search for the city's official parking ticket websites and compare what's found to what is on the ticket. Keep in mind that government sites should end in a .gov or .ca (in Canada) designation. If there is a payment page, it should always have a secure connection.  

* *Double-check the name payments should be made to.* If the ticket allows for payment by check, take a closer look at the entity and address to which you are instructed to mail the check. Checks should generally be made out to a specific government organization, not a string of initials or personal names.  

* *Pay traffic citations by credit card when possible.* It will be easier to contest fraudulent charges if consumers discover they've been scammed down the road.  

The Detroit Auto Show takes place through January 20 at Huntington Place in Detroit. To file a complaint with the Attorney General, or get additional information, contact:  

Consumer Protection Team [ [link removed] ]
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
517-335-7599
Fax: 517-241-3771
Toll-free: 877-765-8388
Online complaint form [ [link removed] ]

 

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