Scammers target Charlotte drivers with fake parking fees

CHARLOTTE — A pay-to-park scam is targeting Charlotte drivers, saying they have to pay a parking fee to the city of Charlotte.

Channel 9′s Almiya White investigated after residents started receiving a text message about the fee. City officials tell Channel 9 that people need to know it’s a scam.

Jennifer Fayed parks in Uptown often, and she knows the challenges that come with it, but she didn’t see this one coming.

“I think that’s scary because you could easily fall for it,” Fayed told White on Monday.

The gist of the message is to get residents to pay a parking fee. Fayed said she didn’t receive the text, but many others in the city -- including a Channel 9 producer -- have.

The text states it’s from a street parking service called Park It, and notifies people of an outstanding parking invoice before asking for a payment through a link.

“I think that people really need to be careful,” Fayed said.

The Park It program only uses two methods to notify residents of parking citations. That’s either a physical citation placed on the windshield of a car, or a letter delivered by mail.

If you’re concerned about potential parking violations, you can verify any outstanding citations through the city’s Park It Web Portal.

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