Should you be worried about QR payment systems at Waterloo Region parking lots? [Video]

Concerns have been raised about a new parking app used at lots in Waterloo Region.

In some instances, at other lots around the country, fraudsters have placed their own QR code on top of the legitimate one that drivers scan to pay for parking.

The new system was first introduced last fall.

“We rolled it out to about four of our parking lots at that point in time,” said Tracey Segeren, the property management manager for the Region of Waterloo. “It was just a way to get up to speed with the times. We had a lot of complaints from folks because we were strictly a coin cash operation and we didn’t have the credit card option on our machines.”

The region, in partnership with the company HONK, then switched to a digital payment platform.

“We give them a system that allows them to charge for their parking and take payments from their customers on the customer side …