A very simple and effective scam is being run in downtown Atlanta. A scam whereby you are not only victimized once but twice and the second time is prefectly legal !
My husband parked in a parking garage in Atlanta. The parking attendant motioned to a bay and gave him a ticket for that bay. The ticket was valid for all day parking. My husband paid the $8 fee and went on his way. An hour later he returned to the car and found that it had been wheel clamped.
Luckily he didn't have to wait too long for the booting agent. He asked why he had been clamped as he had purchased a parking ticket. The booting agent went onto explain that there are no attendants on duty and that the 'attendant' who had sold him the ticket was a scammer. The booting agent further stated that this is a regular and known problem but that nothing much can be done about it as the scammers just keep showing up. The scammers were, at this point, still plying their trade in the parking garage! Maybe the boot company doesn't really care too much as this scam seems to generate even more revenue for them!
Apparently the scammers retrieve these tickets from vehicles which have vacated the spot and then resell them as they are 'all day' tickets. The tickets do not identify the vehicle so there is no way to know that you have been sold a 'used' ticket.
Despite the fact that my husband had obviously fallen victim to this scam, the booting agent refused to release the vehicle until he received the $50 fine.
I would also be very interested to know how the boot agent knew that this ticket was not issued for my husband's vehicle. Things that make you go 'hmmmmmmm'? Maybe this scam goes further than those selling the actual tickets ?
We called the # on the parking garage ticket - straight to voicemail and no one has returned the call.
We called the boot company - they have no phone # for customer service only to call and get your vehicle recovered. I was told that the only option I have is to write to the company - don't put much hope in that!!!
Anyway I sent a letter registered mail and asked for a refund of the boot fee.
I feel that as this is a known problem that the company that runs the garage should at least have signage to inform their customers that the garage is not attended and that scammers are at work.
Perhaps the parking garage actually needs an attendant on duty - aren't they losing money from these scams?
How about some video cameras for their customers protection?
I also think that when it is obvious that this scam has been used (which in our case it was - as the guys were still there working it!!) that they should not hold the victims car hostage until they pay the $50 fee.
I am not too hopeful of getting anything back but at least I can warn other people to be on the look out for these scam artists - this scam appears to be actively used in many cities across the south, not just Atlanta- maybe it will save someone a few dollars and maybe a few hours waiting for someone to come and take the boot off their car...............
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