Details of fake parking tickets released

The location of fake parking tickets left on vehicles in Greater Geelong has been revealed. Eagle-eyed drivers have alerted council to the tickets.

Fake Geelong council parking ticket

Fake City of Greater Geelong parking tickets left on vehicles in Newtown have been reported to police.

Council was alerted to two fake tickets left on vehicles on June 16 in Rutland Street, Newtown which is mainly comprised of businesses.

Street view of Ruthland St, Newtown

Geelong council’s Community Service Delivery director Robyn Stevens said the City was not aware of the identity of those who placed the fake tickets or the reasons why but had reported the matter to Geelong police.

“The City has issued a warning to residents clearly outlining the distinction between a legitimate City of Greater Geelong parking ticket and a fraudulent ticket,” Ms Stevens said.

“Residents have been warned not to click on any links or QR codes of fraudulent tickets.”

EARLIER

Fake parking tickets have been left on cars in the City of Greater Geelong.

Eagle-eyed drivers have noticed scam tickets which have a council logo, a barcode and other information also printed on real council parking tickets.

As a result the City is warning drivers to check all parking tickets left on their vehicles.

Council’s community service delivery director Robyn Stevens warned residents to be wary of the scam.

“We’re not yet fully aware of how the fraudulent tickets are being used by scammers but we

strongly advise anyone receiving a suspicious looking parking ticket not to click on any link or to use the QR code,” Ms Stevens said.

“I encourage anyone receiving a parking ticket within Greater Geelong to take a few moments to check that it bears the features of an official City of Greater Geelong parking ticket.”

A council spokesman said the fake tickets were first discovered in Greater Geelong on Friday morning and followed fake tickets left on cars in other local government areas this year.

The spokesman said several features on the fake parking tickets separated them from real Geelong council parking tickets including a blue band across the top and a QR code.

City of Greater Geelong parking tickets bear an eight-digit infringement number; are all white and do not have a blue band across the top; feature the registration plate and details of a vehicle; do not have a QR code; feature references to the law at the top of the ticket; and

bear an officer ID consisting of three numbers.

Meanwhile council has released its Draft Central Geelong Parking Strategy for public comment.

The draft strategy sets out a framework for parking in the CBD, bounded by McKillop St, Latrobe Tce, Eastern Beach Rd and Swanston St, and proposes six key strategic moves that would allow the city to manage the current and future demand for parking in central Geelong.

Under the strategy drivers would be able to find vacant car parks using an app and have access to a demand-driven payment model under a strategy aiming to improve parking options across central Geelong.

The strategy aims to introduce a precinct-based approach to parking management, dividing central Geelong into parking precincts and prioritising users in each precinct based on customers, businesses and services who need parking the most.

It proposes council could to reinvest a portion of parking revenue directly into the areas where it is generated, such as through streetscape upgrades.

The strategy is available for public comment on council’s website until July 2.

Originally published as Details of fake parking tickets released