Investigation into Fraudulent Parking Placards
Department of Investigation · report
DOI, with the NYPD and the Department of Transportation (DOT), ran a proactive initiative beginning in March 2017 into the use, filing, and sale of fraudulent parking placards, focused on Manhattan. The initiative resulted in the arrest of 30 individuals on October 3, 2017 for placard abuse, plus an earlier arrest of a person who sold a fake placard. DOI found widespread placard fraud with safety and revenue consequences and outlined enforcement steps going forward.
- Released
- 2017-10-03
- Kind
- Investigation
Key findings
- DOI found a pervasive problem of fraudulent parking placards used by drivers in Manhattan and the outer boroughs, purporting to be issued to city agencies, federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations. p. 2
- Fraudulent placards were used to occupy spaces reserved for handicapped individuals and ambulettes, including one seized from a Mercedes parked in an ambulette space, depriving people with disabilities of curbside access. p. 2
- Fraudulent placards were confiscated from drivers parked in spaces reserved for commercial delivery drivers, contributing to double parking and street congestion. p. 2
- Some vehicle owners submitted copies of fraudulent placards to the Finance Department to avoid paying parking tickets ranging from $60 to $115, depriving the City of revenue. p. 3
- The sale of fraudulent placards was profitable, with black-market prices ranging from $500 to $2,600; seized placards displayed entities such as the Law Department, ACS, DOT handicapped parking, FEMA, the American Red Cross, and the New York Blood Center. p. 3
What DOI recommended
- DOI, NYPD, and DOT will continue to educate front-line workers so fraudulent placards can be identified and confiscated. p. 3
- The agencies will work on technology to quickly scan vehicle license plates and confirm whether a valid placard was issued to the vehicle. p. 3
Entities in this report
- Department of Transportation Subject
- Police Department Subject
- Manhattan District Attorney's Office
- Department of Finance
- Law Department
- Administration for Children's Services