A Pay and display machine will not swallow your bank card…

Motorists are being encouraged to look out for people impersonating parking attendants who may offer help or advice, but instead intend to steal their bank cards.

Recent incidences of scams in the London area where card thefts have occurred at parking machines may scare people out of using a machine for fear that their card will be swallowed, however it is impossible for a pay and display machine to swallow a card.  Instead, cards can only be inserted part of the way so some of it is always visible and most machines do not require a pin number.

Many payment machines offer a contactless payment option or there may be other ways of being able to pay for parking, such as mobile phone or app, but the most common form of payment for parking is cash.

Research by the British Parking Association has found that 75% of all parking payments are made using cash and that only 30% of motorists feel confident about using a mobile phone for payment.  It also found that where contactless card payments are accepted this method and cash are motorists’ preferred options.

But no payment method is 100% secure. Parking operators are aware that pay and display machines are vulnerable to thieves for the cash they might contain, and card and mobile phone thefts can occur anywhere, so it pays to always be vigilant.

During the pandemic concerns about handling cash prompted more widespread use of contactless payments, however the Bank of England’s research found that the COVID-19 virus did not survive in high levels for very long on bank notes.

Kelvin Reynolds, Director of Corporate and Public Affairs said: “Motorists should have nothing to fear when paying for parking at a machine.  Whether using credit or debit card, cash or smartphone app, motorists should always be vigilant and as with all transactions, keep personal details private, never reveal the PIN, or give a payment card to anyone else.”