DALLAS - Parking caution has been advised as thousands of visitors stream into downtown Dallas this summer for events, museums and restaurants.

Surface parking lots are the main way to park downtown and work fine as long as the driver pays attention to the signs posted at the lots. However, there have been reports of con artists posing as parking attendants at downtown parking areas.

When Amy Winkelmeyer recently pulled into a lot near the West End she said she was immediately approached by just such a person.

"I thought it was legitimate," she said of the man who approached her. "He walked up to the window and said $5."

Not accustomed to downtown parking, she told the man posing as a parking attendant that she only had a $50.

"He said, 'Well, I'll have to go get you change,' and he started running in this direction," she said. "...I thought he was coming back, but he didn't."

Winkelmeyer ended up being one of the latest victims of a "pretendant," a thief who poses as a legitimate parking attendant and takes a driver's money at a self-pay lot.

Safety patrol officers, who are sponsored by businesses inside the loop, look out for pretendants.

"I've even seen one person lose a $100 bill," said Terry Smith, a patrol officer. "[He] pulled it out, snatched it and took off running."

Dallas police urge drivers to look for signs in the lot indicating whether the lot is self pay. Officials say a real attendant will usually look the part.

"You pull into a parking area, if the guy doesn't have a shirt or some kind of identification he works there, he doesn't," said Sgt. David Tremain, Dallas Police Department. "And don't be intimidated by these guys."

Officials say if the situation doesn't feel right, call 911.

"I would just like other people to know so that they're not losing money as well," Winkelmeyer said of her own incident.

A pretendant scam can get even expensive when the self-pay lot attendant eventually checks and sees the driver didn't pay in the right spot to park.

E-mail bwatson@wfaa.com