Palm Beach police say a 19-year-old woman allegedly impersonated a parking official and targeted drivers with a $1 parking scam.
Investigators say Ti'Miyah De'Asia Allen of West Palm Beach posed as a parking official with ParkMobile and the Palm Beach Parking Authority on Worth Avenue, and stole credit card info from unsuspecting visitors.
According to an arrest affidavit, one person Allen approached on June 5 claimed a fraudulent transaction in the amount of $2,500 appeared on their credit card to a company called "Health Aid."
Police say the scheme often involved Allen telling those looking to pay for parking that they could pay her around $1 instead of the actual $5 an hour, plus a 40 cent transaction fee. The affidavit states the town was "deprived of parking fee revenue that would have otherwise been legitimately paid."
Victims say Allen was carrying what looked like a ParkMobile payment device and a fake badge, and would approach vehicles before they paid for parking, or while they were paying for parking. Police also say the people targeted were over 65 years old.
Police say Allen was involved in a similar scheme last year while working at Wawa on Belvedere Road, and was alleged to have voided customer transactions for profit.
Allen has been charged with falsely impersonating an officer, organized scheme to defraud and unlawful use of a badge or other indicia of authority.
