Richmond Council has begun to warn drivers in the area of the latest parking meter scam in which fraudsters steal bank account cards from parking meters.
In this scam, fraudsters say that the parking machine has ‘swallowed’ the driver’s bank card and pretend to ring the number on the parking machine to report the card being swallowed. Instead of speaking to an operative, they call another fraudster.
The other fraudster on the phone claims that an operative will come to investigate the situation in 30 – 45 minutes and in the meantime, the group of fraudsters use the victim’s bank card to withdraw money.
The Richmond Council’s Parking and Community Safety teams have received multiple complaints that the group of fraudsters are targeting older drivers in the area.
The council has reminded drivers in the area that parking machines are unable to take any bank cards. This is why Pay and Display machines are manufactured and cards can only be inserted half the way in these.
The council is also prompting drivers that they do not have to carry any cards or cash for parking. An alternative system for cashless parking, RingGo exists in the area and can be easily used on mobile phones. The app is available to use across the entire borough.
The app lets the driver pay for parking with a credit or debit card, rather than using a Pay and Display machine. Drivers can online register for RingGo here.
To avoid being scammed, drivers should not insert their bank cards into a parking machine when someone they do not know is present.
If drivers or anyone else suspects that they have been a victim of the parking meter scam, the council has asked them to please ring 101 or get in touch online at met.police.uk. For emergencies, call 999.
Featured image credit: Richmond Council
