A “suspicious” sticker covering the tap feature on a parking metre in Calgary turned out not to be so suspicious after the City parking authority responded to a viral TikTok.
Calgary Parking cleared the air after a video showed an identical sticker to the machine’s tap feature being peeled off, prompting many to wonder whether the machine had been tampered with by scammers.
The video, which was posted on Sunday and has since been seen nearly 350,000 times, was uploaded by a woman who goes by Selene Wildflower on TikTok.
“I’m just trying to pay for my parking in downtown Calgary, and look what I found,” she says as she flips the camera to show her peeling away the sticker.
“Does anyone know what this is?”
@selenewildflowerFound a suspicious sticker on the parking meter in downtown Calgary. Does anyone know what this is?♬ original sound – Selene Wildflower
Hundreds of commenters chimed in, with some wondering whether scammers placed the sticker there to skim information, while others believed it might have been put to protect the tap screen.
The TikTok was so widely shared that it made its way to Calgary Parking, which had a straightforward explanation for the stickers.
We are aware of multiple videos circulating around social media of what looks like a sticker being pulled off the tap feature of one of our pay machines. We want to let Calgarians know there’s no need to worry. pic.twitter.com/37aKHXXP8U
— Calgary Parking (@CalgaryParking) October 21, 2024
“These stickers are screen protectors to protect the tap feature against scratches and vandalism, similar to a screen protector on a cell phone,” Calgary Parking wrote on X.
“We ask that you please leave these stickers as removing them improperly can also damage the component.”
If you havequestions, concerns, or need support, contact the Calgary Parking contact centre at 403-537-7000 or [email protected].
— Calgary Parking (@CalgaryParking) October 21, 2024