Last week, a tourist was scammed out of R110 000 in a parking area near Noop restaurant in Main Road, Paarl, despite local police’s warnings to beware of parking bay scammers.
On Wednesday (8 February) Kurt Maske, a paramedic who administers an emergency and alert group on WhatsApp, reported at about 13:30 that a “pay for parking” incident took place in Paarl.
“A ‘Pay for Parking’ incident just took place Paarl Main Road near Noop restaurant. Tourists had R110 000 stolen out of their account. Please inform all your guests about this issue.”
Maske added that what parking bay scammers are also doing is walking around with Yoko card machines telling tourists they need to pay for parking with their credit cards.
“They then transfer thousands from the victim’s account,” he said. “They also have the ability to clone the cards so they can do multiple transactions. Do not pay for parking with your credit card.” Maske issued this as a stern warning to locals and foreign visitors alike.
He added ATM scams continued to plague tourists in parts such as Stellenbosch and Paarl.
“[There is a] major problem with ATM scammers at the moment in Stellenbosch and Paarl. I caught two suspects busy scamming German tourists in Stellenbosch at a Nedbank ATM earlier. Car guards were also involved.”
He concluded that scammers had still been entering Franschhoek, but it had got much better with the presence of private security forces in the area.
Don’t be bullied by parking-bay scammers
The Paarl police wish to warn the public and especially guest houses regarding tourists who are being targeted by parking bay scammers.
Police spokesperson Capt Louise du Plessis says malls have started to put pro-active measures in place to alert the public about free parking.
She described African males, identifying themselves as security officers, typically approaching people and tourists as they park their cars at malls in the Paarl area.
“They then inform the complainant they have to pay for their parking otherwise their vehicles will be clamped,” she explained.
The payment can be done only via an ATM, or as Maske observed, with Yoko card machines.
“The suspects then escorts the victim to an ATM (which has been tampered with) and in the process gain access to the funds in the complainants bank account.
“These incidents are registered as fraud investigations.”
Du Plessis and Maske both reiterate that parking at shops or malls in Paarl and in Franschhoek, overall, is free.
“We also ask any victims of such scams that if anyone approaches them for payment to report it directly to the relevant mall management and to contact the Paarl police on 021 807 4008/09,” Du Plessis concluded.
