ATLANTA — A suspicious QR code on a fake parking citation led Ashton Merriweather to uncover a scam targeting Atlanta drivers.
"I scanned the QR code, and it brought me to a PayPal account," Merriweather said. "I said, 'This cannot be real.'"
For a brief moment, Merriweather was alarmed.
"I’ve never seen this ticket," she said. "It kind of was alarming because it said 'City of Atlanta,' so I thought, 'Oh, this must be pretty serious.'"
Merriweather works at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and has parked on Nelson Street for years. Free parking in the area is rare, making her usual spot valuable. But after finishing her shift recently, she noticed something unusual.
"I saw a ticket on a car, then another ticket, and then another," she said. "I thought, 'Oh my gosh, I hope I don’t have a ticket.'”
Unfortunately, she did. However, the ticket wasn’t issued by the city—it was a fake.
Spotting the Parking Ticket Scam
Atlanta Police Department has confirmed similar incidents across the city. The counterfeit tickets are poorly written, include a Gmail address, and feature a QR code leading to a PayPal account—elements not present on legitimate citations.
Merriweather hopes to raise awareness, especially as out-of-town visitors flood the city for events like this weekend's SEC Championship game.
"That’s why I want to bring awareness," she said. "A lot of people will be coming from out of town and could fall for this."
What to Do if You Receive a Fake Ticket
Atlanta police shared images of authentic citations to help residents and visitors differentiate between real and fake tickets.
They urge anyone encountering one of these fraudulent tickets to file a police report.
If you suspect a ticket is fake:
- Verify the ticket’s legitimacy by contacting the issuing authority directly.
- Do not scan QR codes or send payment without confirmation.
- Report suspicious activity to law enforcement.