5 Red Flags of a Fake Airport Parking Website

When I first started building ABC Park & Ride, I found myself looking at other websites that seemed like the real deal, but turned out to be fronts for rogue traders, and taking people’s money with them when things go wrong.

You do not need to be a tech expert to spot them. Here are the 5 biggest red flags to look out for.

1. The "Brand New" Domain Well-known signs of such "professional" websites include, to name just a few, spinning up brand new sites and shutting them down after a very short period of time.

Use a free WHOIS lookup tool to check out a website’s history and be wary of sites claiming to have “10 years of experience” yet have a domain that is no older than two months.

2. The Missing VAT Number The lack of a VAT number in the UK and basically makes them operate in secret. By law, they must display this number on their site, usually in the footer.

3. The "Ghost Office" The empty field offices are another thing that has caught my attention.

Copy a listed address into Google Street View, and if it turns out to be an abandoned building, a residential house or a completely empty lot, don’t hand over your car keys.

4. The "Too Good to Be True" Price If a price is 50% lower than everyone else, it’s worth asking yourself why.

It’s usually because they are parking your car on a residential street, not a secure compound.

5. The Fake Review Surge Fake reviews can be bought in bulk. So look out for a heap of five-star reviews all posted on the same day, if they're real, the reviews would be more staggered over the years.

Legitimate companies, on the other hand, will have:

A Valid VAT Number: Clearly displayed in the footer.

Real Address: That matches up on Google Maps.

Realistic Pricing: Competitive, but not suspiciously cheap.

Consistent Reviews: A mix of feedback spanning years, not days.

Safe travels,

Salma & the ABC Team

Further Reading

• Trading Standards: Beware of Rogue Airport Parking Companies

• Which? Consumer Rights: How to Spot a Fake Review

• UK Government: Check a UK VAT Number