# Car Park and Parking Meter Scam.



## Drew (May 30, 2005)

I have taken this from the Thames Valley Police C.S.G. Newsletter.

They have been alerted to a scam involving Car Park and Street Parking Meters.

The scam happens when you are approached by someone who pleads with you to help them with a parking meter that won't accept their foreign cards.

They ask you to use your card to make their car park payment, and they will give you the cash.

Once you have entered your card and PIN number, your card will not come out of the machine. They have used a device to capture it. They ring who they say is the meter company who tells you they will send an engineer to fix the machine and will contact you later to return your card.
Once you have left, they retrieve your card and use it.

*Protect Your Money.*

If you enter your card into any form of payment machine and are unable to retrieve it for any reason, you should immediately contact your bank to stop the card.

Whenever you enter your PIN number, ensure that nobody can see the number and use your other hand to block the view of any onlookers.

If you are approached by someone in the manner described above, please decline their request and report the suspicious behaviour to police.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

For goodness sake! We can't even be kind to strangers any more


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Car park con artists have been around for 30 years to my knowledge in one form or another. 
I have been approached several times in the states by people saying they have been mugged and lost their wallets asking for cash to get home.

Ray.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Yes, Ray, we were caught out in Almeria. We entered a car park and a man wearing a yellow jacket approached us and asked for a few Euros. We assumed he was the car park attendant but he was just the local con artist. The car park was a free one.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Some years ago now there was a report of a chap who had, for many years, been collecting car parking fees from people visiting (I think) Bristol Zoo. One day he was no longer there so a regular visitor was concerned about him so enquired of his health with the Zoo.

Turns out there had never been a charge for the car park, and the chap in the hi vis was NOT an employee of the Zoo. Estimates vary as to how much the chap made, but it was at least in the tens of thousands! 

Gotta admire his style haven’t you? 

Andy


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

Mrplodd said:


> Some years ago now there was a report of a chap who had, for many years, been collecting car parking fees from people visiting (I think) Bristol Zoo. One day he was no longer there so a regular visitor was concerned about him so enquired of his health with the Zoo.
> 
> Turns out there had never been a charge for the car park, and the chap in the hi vis was NOT an employee of the Zoo. Estimates vary as to how much the chap made, but it was at least in the tens of thousands!
> 
> ...


Nice story, but afraid it's a fake

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/fake-parking-attendant/

Andrew


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Fortunately for us a MHomor used his card to gain us entry into a Aire as it repeatedly refused our card(s)

We handed him the cash 

Sandra


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

aldra said:


> Fortunately for us a MHomor used his card to gain us entry into a Aire as it repeatedly refused our card(s)
> 
> We handed him the cash
> 
> Sandra


Sandra

That was a short post with no gaps.

And no comments

Who posted it for you?


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Just wanted to give you chance to imitate me

You did well :wink2:

I have no problem with the way I post, others obviously do >

That’s life 

Sandra


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

aldra said:


> Fortunately for us a MHomor used his card to gain us entry into a Aire as it repeatedly refused our card(s)
> 
> We handed him the cash
> 
> Sandra


Was it MasterCard because we have had "issues" using them abroad, swap to a Visa and everything works fine (in the same machine)

Andy


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I think it was a master card, 

Probably Halifax clarity because that’s what we mostly use 

We “accidentally” overpay on it before we go away, saves clearing it at the end of the first month away 

I think the only Visa card we have is my debit card 

How’s that caravan doing, I bet it’s great to have the advantage of a car on site 

Don’t answer that because it’s off topic , I just can’t resist saying hello to individuals when I post 

And I can’t really start a new thread to let you know I’m thinking of you and your new travel style 

Once upon a time it wouldn’t have mattered , but things progress and I just plod on same as old 

Sandra


Sandra


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