It's hard enough finding a place to park to attend the Detroit Auto Show. Now, attendees need to be aware of parking lot scammers and parking ticket scammers.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said 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 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 encouraged 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 for bad actors to create authentic appearing parking tickets. The fake ticket will ask consumers to pay online or use a QR code. Nessel reminded residents to visit a city'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.
Public days for the Detroit Auto Show begin on Saturday, January 11, 2025, and continue through January 20th at Huntington Place in Detroit.
To file a complaint with the Attorney General, or get additional information, contact:
Consumer Protection Team
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
517-335-7599
Fax: 517-241-3771
Toll-free: 877-765-8388
Online complaint form
