Driver in Brighton finds fake fine on car as Bayside Council warns of scammer

Australia’s dumbest scammer: Crook tries to leech money out of motorists by pretending to be a parking officer and leaving HANDWRITTEN fines on cars

  • Con-artist has posed as a parking officer in Brighton in south-east Melbourne
  • A driver found the fake fine placed on car that demanded they hand over money
  • The fraudulent ticket was handwritten and full of spelling errors throughout
  • Council has warned residents to be cautious of the scam that started last week 

A not-so-smart con artist has tried to trick drivers into handing over their money after he posed as a parking officer and left handwritten fines on their cars.

The scammer has been handing out the fraudulent tickets in Brighton, in south-east Melbourne, over the past week.

Not only is the mock fine full of misspellings, but it even includes the scammer’s bank account details.

One driver discovered a fake ticket on their car parked at St Andrews Street, asking him to pay as much as $80. 

A not-so-smart con-artist has tried to trick drivers into handing over their money after he posed as a parking officer and left handwritten fines (pictured) on their cars

The scammer has been handing out the fraudulent tickets in Brighton, in south-east Melbourne, over the past week (stock image)

The scammer has been handing out the fraudulent tickets in Brighton, in south-east Melbourne, over the past week (stock image)

‘I have run out of paper in my machine,’ the note read.

‘You parked here at 8.45. Two hours and 35 minutes later, your (sic) are still parked in a two-hour zone. Fine $81’. 

Bayside City Council planning and amenity director Hamish Reid said the council was aware of the hoax ticket. 

‘We are aware of a fake parking ticket placed on a car in Brighton. The fake ticket was handwritten and asked the car owner to pay a fine into a bank account.

‘Council does not issue handwritten fines or notices. Members of the public are advised to contact us if they find a fake parking ticket.’

Mr Reid said council was unaware if anyone had paid the scam artists of yet, and that the matter had been referred to police.

To be safe, council took to Facebook to warn residents of the scam. 

‘Scammer alert! We’re aware of false parking fines left on cars parked along the foreshore.’ 

Though, local drivers seem to have already cottoned on to the hoax.

‘Have parking fines ever been handwritten in Australia?’ one person commented on the post.

Another resident joked: ‘Shaky handwriting: give me money.

‘Seems legit.’

Others have taken the scam as an opportunity to criticise the local council. 

‘Still wouldn’t be able to keep up with Bayside parking inspectors. Giving out fines every five seconds.’

Bayside City Council planning and amenity director Hamish Reid said the council was aware of the hoax ticket (pictured, a Bayside City Council warning posted to Facebook warning residents in the area to be cautious of the scam)

Bayside City Council planning and amenity director Hamish Reid said the council was aware of the hoax ticket (pictured, a Bayside City Council warning posted to Facebook warning residents in the area to be cautious of the scam)

Though, residents seem to have already cottoned on to the hoax well before the warning about the fake tickets was posted to Facebook (pictured, one resident said the handwriting was a dead giveaway that the tickets were fraudulent)

Though, residents seem to have already cottoned on to the hoax well before the warning about the fake tickets was posted to Facebook (pictured, one resident said the handwriting was a dead giveaway that the tickets were fraudulent)

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