A break-in into the management system of the Paid Parking Zone

Someone hacked the management system of the Paid Parking Zone and changed the bank account number for paying the additional charge

This is about the account number that appears on the paper surcharge notice that the PPZ controller puts behind the wiper of a vehicle that lacks a valid parking charge. The break-in probably took place on 17 April, as notifications of fake bank numbers appeared between 17 and 22 April.

“As it was established, during that period controllers issued 541 notices in the PPZs and 94 notices for parking without a valid ticket in the Paid Unguarded Car Parks,” informed Wojciech Jachim, spokesperson for the Nieruchomości i Opłaty Lokalne company.

The criminal or criminals replaced the NiOL’s [Real Estate and Local Fees] company’s account with three different bank accounts – two of the Bank PKO BP branch in Świdnica and one belonging to a bank based in Belgium.

Potentially PLN 72,900 could have been credited to the fraudsters’ accounts. Potentially, as not all drivers pay right away. In addition, it is not yet certain that the fake accounts are active. There are indications that the money paid into them bounces back.

On Monday 22 April, the NiOL company notified the police of a possible criminal offence of attempting to defraud money from notices of unpaid parking fees. A similar notice was given by the company to the banks in question.

“Drivers who paid money into fake accounts and did not regain them will be relieved of having to pay the Szczecin Municipality NiOL company for the fake notices,”  added Wojciech Jachim. “In addition, the NiOL company intends to inform by letter all drivers who were given a notice between 17 and 22 April of the situation and the action taken by the company.”

The PPZ management system coordinates the work of all programmes and applications supporting the operation of the PPZ (e-store, e-inspection, parking meters, databases, pedestrian controller terminals, etc.). It is operated by Nextivo Technologies. Nextivo, in consultation with the NiOL company, implemented additional security features in the system immediately after the fraud had been detected. Moreover, PPZ controllers are now required to check the account number on printed notices.

The NiOL company is asking drivers who received notices between 17 and 22 April to verify their account number for the additional charge.

The correct number for paying additional parking charges

• PPZ: 40 1020 4795 0000 9802 0259 3069
• PUCP: 15 1020 4795 0000 9202 0447 0084.

Any new information on this matter will be available on the website of the Paid Parking Zone - Szczecin (spp.szczecin.pl)