December 22, 2023 at 7:21 am

‘They were not hired to give anyone penalties’ – Parking Company Is Illegally Booting Concertgoers’ Cars, And This TikToker Is Putting Them On Blast

by Matthew Gilligan

Source: TikTok/@haunted_detective

A woman who works at a music venue in downtown Austin, Texas posted a video on TikTok and talked about some shady business that’s going on in the area where she does business.

She explained that people have been putting unregulated boots on cars and concertgoers have been coming out of the venue where she works, discovering the boots, and coming back into the venue to let them know.

But there’s one problem…she said, “we didn’t authorize any booting.”

She then said that they found out, “seven people, men, and women in high viz vests, standing around just throwing boots on cars.”

She also pointed out that these boots appeared to be the same ones that were talked about in an article that warned about illegal boot scams.

Source: TikTok/@haunted_detective

But there was a twist in the story when customers figured out that they could actually remove the boots themselves.

She said,  “One of our customers drove their car off, turned the wheel, and the boot just snapped off.”

She added that the “booting agents” threatened people.

Source: TikTok/@haunted_detective

The woman said that the booting agents couldn’t verify why they were there in the first place and that when she investigated their employer, Bitlocks LLC, she found out they weren’t associated with the Better Business Bureau and that reviews online talked about how they are scammers.

Source: TikTok/@haunted_detective

Here’s her video.

@haunted_detective

#austintexastiktok #austinconcert #austinpolicedepartment #currentevents #austinnewskxan #austinnews #austintexasnews

♬ original sound – Kelsey C

She posted a second video and talked about the real reason why the company was there. She said, “Bitlocks LLC was hired to regulate parking and regulate the flow of traffic. They were not hired to give anyone penalties.”

She added, “What I think this scam is, is these people are getting hired for one thing. They’re showing up, putting boots on cars, and then pocketing the money.”

@haunted_detective

Replying to @Kelsey C #carbooters #atx #austintexascheck #austintexasnews #atxnews #austinnews

♬ original sound – Kelsey C

Here’s what people had to say.

This viewer wasn’t so sure about this boot…

Source: TikTok/@haunted_detective

Another TikTokker knows this happened at another Austin venue.

Source: TikTok/@haunted_detective

And one person was thankful for the advice because they’re heading to Austin soon.

Source: TikTok/@haunted_detective

That’s some shady business.

Keep your eyes peeled out there!

Now that you’ve read that story, check out this one about a delivery driver who took a $400 grocery order back because she wasn’t given a tip.