Paid parking at ski resorts has been a source of debate since resorts began implementing it.
As if skiing wasn’t expensive enough, unfortunately, paid parking has become an expected part of the ski experience in many places. After all, there are yes There’s something to be said for the convenience of many paid lots. While you may not like it, at some point you’re probably fine with paying Vail Resorts or anyone else the $18 per day parking fee, but what if that money doesn’t actually go to the resort?
On December 27, 2025, several stickers imitating the PayByPhone logo with fake QR codes were discovered in Whistler Day Parking Lots 1-5, the Main Street Parking Lot, and the Marketplace Parking Lot off Lorimer Road.
The fraudulent QR code directs users to a fake website that collects payments, rather than the genuine PayByPhone module. The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), which does not use QR codes to pay for parking, quickly discovered the codes and removed them all on December 28.
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The Whistler Resort City believes the people distributing the QR codes set up fake websites to receive their payments as a form of credit card fraud.
RMOW encourages anyone who scans the QR code to contact their credit card company immediately to report fraudulent activity and cancel their card. Visitors who think they paid for parking but received a ticket can dispute the ticket here.
Whistler once again reminds all guests not to use QR codes to pay for parking.
“RMOW’s parking system is a secure system that is continuously monitored to prevent fraud and ensure that the information collected is protected to the highest possible industry standards,” RMOW wrote. “Parking fee fraud is a known form of theft that has affected other municipal systems across B.C.”
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This article was originally published by Powder on December 30, 2025 and first appeared in the News section. Click here to add powder as your preferred source.
