How To Stay Private Online When Using Parking Made Easy

Online privacy is more important than ever, especially when using platforms like Parksy to rent or list parking spaces in Australia. While our service provides a convenient way to find parking spots and car parks, sharing personal details online can pose security risks. According to a recent Office of the Australian Information Commissioner report, nearly 40% of Australians have experienced a data breach or know someone who has. This makes privacy protection crucial when using any online service, including those for finding parking garages or rental spots. Fortunately, you can maintain your privacy by following three key steps: using a burner email, using a burner phone number, and avoiding inputting your exact street number. These simple precautions help ensure your personal information remains secure while still enjoying the benefits of finding affordable parking spaces across Australia.

1. Use a Burner Email for Sign-ups & Communication

A burner email keeps your personal email address private while still allowing you to receive notifications and updates from Parksy. This is particularly important when communicating with strangers about renting their driveway, garage, or parking spots. I've personally used this method for years when dealing with any parking-related transactions, and it dramatically reduces the risk of spam and identity theft.

• Use a temporary or dedicated burner email instead of your personal one to protect your primary inbox.
• Services like ProtonMail, Tuta, or SimpleLogin provide privacy-focused email aliases with strong encryption.
• For short-term use, try Guerrilla Mail, TempMail, or Mailinator when booking one-off parking arrangements.
• Set up email forwarding so messages sent to your burner email go to your main inbox without exposing your real address.
• Create separate burner emails for different parking lot booking platforms to minimize data correlation across services.

According to Bouncer, an email verification SaaS, "Having a burner email can be beneficial for protecting your privacy and avoiding spam email when signing up," which ensures security while accepting various offers online.

2. Use a Burner Phone Number for Verification

Many online services require phone verification, including those for finding or listing parking spaces. Instead of using your personal number, use a burner number to keep your identity private. This provides an essential layer of security when dealing with car park rentals and agreements, preventing unwanted calls and potential harassment.

• Use a VoIP number from Google Voice, TextNow, or Hushed for all parking-related communications.
• Buy a prepaid SIM card from Australian providers like Telstra, Optus, or Vodafone for added anonymity (avoid registering it with your real name).
• Apps like Burner or MySudo let you create multiple temporary numbers specifically for different parking arrangements.
• When verifying your account, use your burner number to receive SMS verification codes.
• Consider changing your burner number every few months if you regularly rent parking spaces.

One Sydney resident who regularly rents out their driveway shared that after using a burner phone number, he noticed a significant decrease in spam calls and felt much more secure knowing his primary contact details weren't being shared with strangers looking for parking.

3. Avoid Inputting Your Exact Street Number

When signing up or listing a parking space in residential areas, you may be required to enter an address. However, you don't need to share your exact street number. This is especially important when listing a driveway or garage space where your home address might be exposed.

• When signing up, omit your street number and use only the suburb, postal code, or a nearby major street to provide general location information.
• If the platform requires a full address, enter a general location and provide specific details only to verified renters via private messages.
• If you're renting out a parking space, consider meeting renters at a nearby public location before sharing exact details about your home parking spot.
• Use cross-streets or landmarks instead of exact addresses when describing your parking location initially.
• Only provide precise directions after you've established trust or received a booking confirmation.

Daniel Battaglia, founder of Parksy, emphasizes in his e-book "The rental is covered by a lease agreement as with property rentals, so everyone knows exactly where they stand and everything is legal and compliant." This structured approach ensures that while privacy is maintained initially, the formal agreement provides clarity once a parking arrangement is confirmed.

4. Use Secure Payment Methods

When paying for or receiving payment for parking garage or station rentals, it's crucial to use secure payment methods that don't expose your financial information. This additional privacy measure protects your banking details while still allowing convenient transactions for your parking needs.

• Use PayPal, BPAY, or other trusted payment platforms that don't share your full banking details.
• Consider using virtual credit cards from services like NAB, CommBank, or privacy-focused fintech companies for one-time payments.
• Avoid direct bank transfers until you've established trust with the parking space provider.
• Keep digital receipts of all parking transactions in a secure location for future reference.
• Check that payment pages use HTTPS encryption before entering any financial information.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission recommends using secure payment methods for all peer-to-peer transactions, noting that privacy in payments is essential for reducing fraud risk in sharing economy platforms like those used for parking spaces.

5. Privacy Risks in Parking Platforms

Understanding specific privacy risks when using parking platforms helps you take appropriate precautions. Research by the University of New South Wales found that sharing economy platforms, including those for parking spot rentals and bookings, often collect more user data than necessary for service provision.

• Review privacy policies carefully before signing up to understand what information is collected and how it's used.
• Check for data retention policies—how long does the platform keep your information after you've used their service?
• Use VPNs when accessing parking platforms to obscure your IP address and physical location.
• Disable location services on your mobile devices when not actively searching for parking.
• Regularly review and delete your booking history if the platform allows this option.

Cybersecurity research indicates that location data from parking apps can reveal sensitive information about daily routines and frequently visited locations. This makes privacy protections especially important when using digital tools to find and book parking services and spaces.

Final Thoughts: Balancing Convenience and Privacy

By taking these precautions, you can use Parksy's convenient services with peace of mind, knowing your personal information remains secure. Using a burner email, a burner phone number, avoiding sharing your exact street number, and implementing secure payment practices are simple yet effective steps to keep your privacy intact while still enjoying the benefits of finding affordable parking across Australia. Remember that privacy is an ongoing practice rather than a one-time setup. Regularly review your privacy settings, update your burner contacts, and stay informed about best practices in online safety. The goal isn't to avoid useful services like parking platforms altogether, but to use them wisely with appropriate privacy safeguards in place. Have you implemented any of these privacy measures when using Parksy or similar services? Sign up free and share your experience or additional privacy tips in the comments below!