SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — A 19-year-old man was arrested for allegedly issuing fake tickets and placing them on parked cars in Santa Cruz, California, officials say.
In a news release, Santa Cruz Police Department said on Thursday they have received multiple reports about fake tickets that were issued to parked cars in the Santa Cruz beach area on Dec. 21. Police say it was a scam where the tickets had a QR code on them to direct potential victims to a website for payment.
SCPD said that it is unknown how many fake tickets the scammer issued or how many people have paid the fake tickets.
A man was taken into custody on Thursday on suspicion of unlawful use of a computer system and attempted fraud, according to The Associated Press. The man allegedly denied having received any payments.
SCPD identified the man as Damien Vela, 19.
Any additional victims of this crime are encouraged to contact the SCPD investigations unit at 831-420-5820. Anyone with questions about the validity of a ticket can call the City of Santa Cruz Parking Office at 831-420-6100.