CellOPark, Brisbane council in damage control amid parking app data breach fears

Thousands of people who signed up for a Brisbane City Council-spruiked parking app have been left fearing their personal data has been breached.

CellOPark. Picture: Facebook

Thousands of people who signed up for a troubled parking app have been left worrying if their personal information has been breached after a botched switch to an Australian-based operator.

Brisbane City Council, which spruiks the third-party mobile phone app on its website, said it would now review its options on the technology and admitted it was “deeply frustrated and disappointed’’.

The botched transition to the new operator did raise some laughs, however, as “test’’ locations were accidentally left on the system including “Gotham City’’ and “Bat Cave’’.

Parking app company CellOPark Australia Pty Ltd, trading as Smarter City Solutions, denied any of its customers had their private information compromised but said it would alert the Information Commissioner “out of an abundance of caution’’.

The concerns surfaced earlier this week when app users received texts saying their accounts would be migrated from CellOPark to a new platform, OPark.

The email sent by CellOPark to customers on Thursday.

CellOPark was developed by an Israeli company but the OPark technology was developed in Australia. The transition was supposed to occur from December 25.

Days after the first message, an unknown party texted a second message saying the transition had been cancelled but not to worry about the safety of personal data.

It was the latest in a string of complaints about CellOPark including some customers who claimed about being fined even though they had paid for parking through the app.

Others complained that they were unwittingly signed up to an optional “premium’’ service costing $1.99 a month which alerted users when their parking period was about to end.

“As you may be aware, an email has been sent to our members alleging that this transition has been cancelled,’’ a CellOPark Australia spokesman said in a statement to The Courier-Mail.

“That email was not sent with our authorisation.

“After an urgent investigation, it became clear that this email was sent as part of what is now a commercial dispute about the transition away from our overseas supplier of the CellOPark system, and an attempt to derail the transition using unauthorised access to our email domain.

“This is unfortunate and plainly inconvenient to users and local authorities.

“However, there is no finding that there has been any inappropriate access to user data or any breach of private information.

The CellOPark app has been controversial. Picture: Facebook

“The email was sent to all our members from within the system using our email domain and no customer information (personal or financial) was accessed externally.

“Regardless, we will notify OIAC (Office of the Australian Information Commissioner) out of an abundance of caution and responsibility.

“In parallel, we are taking all steps, including legal action, to resolve this matter quickly and effectively, maintain the security and privacy of all data and to ensure there is no repeat of this activity.’’

A spokeswoman said council was aware emails had been sent to CellOPark customers, including those in Brisbane.

“While there’s been no impact on Brisbane meters, we’re deeply frustrated and disappointed our residents have been caught up in this matter,” she said.

“CellOPark has advised today (December 20) the plan to transition to a new app has been halted.

“However, Council will be reviewing our future options to ensure the best outcome for ratepayers.”

One customer posted on social media platform Reddit that after receiving the second email they investigated CellOPark Australia and was “delighted to see’’ its payment options included parking regions called “Gotham’’ and the “Bat Cave’’.

“I was less thrilled when I looked at my account and saw that they’d subscribed me to the premium monthly subscription when I specifically checked the box that I didn’t want it,’’ they claimed.

“I immediately turned that off and deleted my credit card from the wallet that had been carried over from (the previous operator).’’

Another posted that when they complained via the council call centre the customer service person said council was aware of the transition to OPark and that it had been in the planning stages for “quite some time’’.

“However, the second email we all received also surprised them. They stated that they are currently investigating this matter.’’

Another customer said they were immediately concerned after receiving the second email and blocked their credit card.

“They need to explain themselves in more detail. In the meantime I’ll take the hit of walking over to the parking meter,’’ they posted.

Originally published as CellOPark, Brisbane council in damage control amid parking app data breach fears