Indianapolis Parking Meters Targeted By Credit Card Skimmers

Advance Indiana learned today that at least one of the electronic parking meters operated by Park Indy on Mass Avenue in downtown Indianapolis was compromised after someone placed a credit card skimmer on the meter. The victim, son of City-County Councilor Christine Scales, parked his car at Space No. 1327 in the 300 block. Within a short time after Joseph Scales swiped his credit card to purchase time on the meter, the person who placed the skimmer on the electronic parking meter charged about $400 to the credit card he used. DPW Director Lori Miser has been apprised of the incident by Councilor Scales, but I've not seen any public warning to alert motorists to be on the look-out if they are using credit cards to make purchases on the City's parking meters. Be aware of this problem if you're using credit cards to buy time on the parking meters. Gasoline station pumps all over town have been similarly victimized by this same scam.

UPDATE: DPW Director Lori Miser tells WRTV that the meters in this area were checked yesterday evening and no skimming devices were found on them. Miser claims it would be very difficult for someone to place a skimming device on Park Indy's meters. According to Scales, a $200 charge was made to her son's card within minutes of him swiping his card at the meter for a Game Stop purchase at 86th & Michigan. When a second $200 charge was attempted a short time later, Fifth Third fraud detectors alerted her son and declined the charge. The bank is 99% certain the information obtained to make the charges on the account resulted from a skimmer placed on the meter according to Scales. Fifth Third told Scales this type of fraud has been frequently occurring.