DETROIT – DETROIT – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is warning people going to the Detroit Auto Show to watch out for parking scams.
Local 4 caught up with one family who traveled from Columbus for the show and had to pay double the amount they were expecting for parking.
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The Blue family looked up parking options earlier this week as they prepared to come to the show on Saturday. They found a good option online for $25.
When they arrived at the lot, the price listed on the sign was $60.
“We got here and it was 60,” Rita Blue said.
“We looked it up, it did say like 25, 30 bucks and we came out here and it’s double,” Tyson Blue said. “Everyone is waving you in and I’m asking, ‘Is it cheaper down the street?’ They’re like ‘No, this is everywhere, everywhere is like this.’”
Knowing what price you’re paying is just one of the reasons Nessel is recommending people use a service called SpotHero to pay for parking in advance.
“What you see on the website is what you will pay and with the SpotHero guarantee, you’re actually guaranteed that you have a spot at the price you pay,” SpotHero Director of Brand Ashley Gonzalez said.
SpotHero allows users to enter the address of an event, along with a time. Parking options populate with a price. Users get a prepaid parking pass via email or through the app.
“Did you give them the keys? Or no?” Local 4 asked the Blue family.
“Reluctantly, we did and we didn’t realize that we would have to do that either,” Rita Blue said.
Nessel says people should only give their keys out if there are posted valet signs and it is confirmed ahead of time that the location offers valet service.
It’s also important to watch out for small lots with little signage. Some are known to sell spots they don’t actually have authority over, leading to cars being ticketed, towed, or stolen.
If you are ticketed, make sure it’s a real ticket.
“Another scam involves bad actors issuing fake parking tickets,” Nessel said in a statement. “The Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns that technology makes it easy for bad actors to create authentic appearing parking tickets. The fake ticket will ask consumers to pay online or use a QR code.”
“We have real humans helping out in case you can’t find your garage, in case there is some kind of hiccup and they are available 365 days a year, seven days a week, which is a real differentiator when you are looking for parking,” Gonzalez said.
“I just would like to see legitimate business people make their money, but not gouge the public,” Rita Blue said.