MADONNA BUSTED FOR POSTING FAKE SIGNS ...

Madonna's people concocted a scheme to snag precious parking spots in front of her super expensive NYC apartment, and the authorities came down on them like a brick.

Madonna who lives in a $40 million Upper East Side townhouse -- apparently wanted to claim some prime parking spaces ... problem is, they wer

She also had someone emboss a "NO PARKING" warning curbside in cement. For bad measure, they painted the curb yellow.

One neighbor who smelled a rat contacted the city's Dept. of Transportation. Someone from the agency paid a visit Wednesday and told Madonna's people the signage had to be removed ... stat.

However when the neighbor questioned a man standing outside Madonna's pad next to 3 SUVs about putting these signs up, the man responded, "We know the right people."

Well apparently, so does the neighbor.

>e public spaces, not hers. So her people peppered the area with "Tenant Parking Only" signs.