Calgary Parking responds to viral TikTok about sticker covering tap pay machines
Posted Oct 21, 2024 4:47 pm.
Last Updated Oct 21, 2024 6:52 pm.
The Calgary Parking Authority (CPA) is telling residents there’s “no need to worry” after a video circulating social media showed a sticker covering the tap pay reader of one of their payment machines.
The issue was brought to the attention of Calgarians after a TikTok user posted over the weekend about finding one of the stickers on a ParkPlus machine in downtown Calgary.
The post has garnered well over 300,000 views with many users responding and suggesting the sticker may have been placed there nefariously as a way to skim people’s banking information.
CPA responded to the concerns on Monday, posting on X that they are aware of the video circulating online and assuring the stickers are just screen protectors aimed to help the machines avoid scratches.
“We want to let Calgarians know there’s no need to worry,” reads the post. “We ask that you please leave these stickers as removing them improperly can also damage the component.”
Chris Blaschuk is a manager with Calgary Parking and says they are not aware of any skimming devices on any of their machines. He also says all the machines are checked regularly.
He urges anyone who sees anything suspicious at a ParkPlus machine to reach out to them.
“We do our work to make sure all of our payment methods are safe and secure,” says Blaschuk. “Certainly, if someone goes to pay at a machine and they have a concern that they see with the machine, they can report it.”
Previous Calgary Parking scams
Earlier this year, CPA warned of a scam where scammers were printing and placing fake parking tickets on vehicles claiming to be from the city agency.
CPA says the fraudulent tickets will direct people to pay at calgaryparkplus.com, which is not the official website.
Anyone who comes across a fake ticket is being urged to destroy it and report it to the Calgary Police Service’s non-emergency line at 403-266-1234.
In April, the CPA warned of a different scam making the rounds, this time, in the form of a text telling someone they got a ticket and directing them to a ‘self-serve’ portal hyperlink to resolve the issue.
The city and its parking agency say text messages aren’t used for ticket notifications or payment requests and advise not responding or clicking the link if you receive a message.
With files from Jillian Code
