How to avoid three of the most common airport parking scams
Off on holiday soon? Looking at your travel options? Find out how to avoid three of the most common airport parking scams.
According to Google Trend Data, the search term Airport Parking has received a 132.31% uplift in the past month alone. As reports of parking officials using the consumers car for personal use circulate, along with car park customers reporting that their card details have been stolen via payment QR Codes.
In this article, Vantage Leasing reveals how to avoid three of the most common airport parking scams that are circulating the UK. (You also want to make sure you avoid these six holiday scams while you’re away.)
1) The meet and greet airport parking scam
The widely used airport meet and greet service sees consumers meet their parking valet at the airport, handover their keys and meet them again when they return. This means the consumer doesn’t need to park their car.
Recent accounts from meet and greet users claim that their cars tracker reveals that their car has been driven whilst they are away, broken speed limits and even parked thousands of miles away from the airport.
How to avoid the meet and greet airport parking scam
Use your phone to take a picture of your car’s millage. The image will be time stamped which will serve as evidence that the details in the image are accurate. When you return, if the millage has risen a substantial amount, you may wish to investigate if your car has been used in the time you are away.
2) The safe and secure airport parking scam
Third party parking operators often offer parking in safe and secure locations leading consumers to believe that their car will be parked in a secured car park. However, this scam sees the car left in an open residential street, often leading residents to report the vehicle to the council.
How to avoid the safe and secure airport parking scam
Before booking with the parking company, use Google Earth to view where the car will be parked. This will ensure that the location aligns with description used on the brands website.
If the company uses a meet and greet service, don’t be afraid to ask them to send you a picture of the vehicle once it has been parked. This will ensure that it’s placed where they say it is.
3) The pay and display QR code airport parking scam
When jetting off on a weekend break, some may choose to use a pay and display parking option. Many pay and display car parks now require you to pay online by scanning a QR code.
Recent reports reveal that QR codes are being targeted by scammers who are replacing the QR code with their own. The code then directs the user to a fake site where they put in their payment details and therefore handing their details over to the scammer.
How to avoid the QR code airport parking scam
Only use payment information that is clearly displayed on official signs. If the information provided appears to be glued on, beware that this may be the product of a scammer.
If cash payment is not available, try to pay by phone. This way, you will be able to Google the phone number beforehand to ensure that it’s a legitimate payment method.
Been issued a private parking ticket you don’t think is correct? Find out whether you need to pay and how to appeal your parking ticket here.
Photo by Claude Nai
