Emily Schimmelmann says she tried to avoid a parking fine when visiting downtown Grand Rapids with a friend in January.
However, she was charged $400 after parking in a Holiday Inn parking lot.
Schimmelmann says she thought she was preventing herself from getting a ticket when she texted the three letter code to the number on the parking sign.
But no reply ever came.
When Schimmelmann returned to her car, there was a plastic Barnacle on her car.
The Barnacles charge drivers $400 initially and then reimburse half once the plastic device is returned to a drop box.
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