Don’t Get Scammed When Your Car Needs to Be Towed
When you need a tow, the situation can be bad enough that you’ll accept whatever help you can get. And when that friendly tow truck happens to come by, it can seem like your lucky day. But be careful. Once they have your signature, that tow company could charge you a bundle, and there’s not much that you can do about it. Here are a few things to look out for to avoid towing scams.
Breakdown Towing Scams
Routes that have a lot of traffic and a lot of space between the exits can lead to a lot of broken down cars on the side of the road. Unscrupulous towing companies know all of the common breakdown spots, and will often cruise past them looking for customers. They’ll also listen to police scanners or CB channels for reports of any broken down vehicles.
If you’ve been sitting with a dead car or a flat tire, it can be tempting to leap at their help. But be careful. Their goal may be to get you to sign a release without checking the price. Even worse, they may be trying to get you to sign a release that either has blanks for the price or states that you’ll pay whatever fees they charge later, not just for the tow but for using their shop or storage facility.
Accident Towing Scams
When there’s an accident, scam tow truck drivers can do the same thing. They know the stretches of road that tend to have accidents, such as areas that are slick in freezing weather, and will check them. More importantly, they’ll often listen for accidents on a police scanner, then rush there before the police-ordered tow truck arrives.
Once at the scene, a scammer will try to get you away from the police to get your signature. Just like the breakdown scam, once they get your signature they can charge you large fees.
Parking Towing Scams
The most common parking towing scam is known as predatory towing, and there are a couple ways to do this. The first is to cruise along looking for illegally parked cars. They may also employ spotters to call them once someone parks illegally.
Even if the police are there to order the towing, a scammer can still make extra money off you by the same signature trick. If they get you to sign extra documents, then you’re giving them a license to extra charges.
What You Can Do to Avoid Them
Auto clubs, roadside assistance programs, and insurance companies screen tow companies so you know the towing charges (if any) upfront if you join their plans. If you don’t have covered towing, then make sure you double-check all of the pricing before your sign anything. Pay extra attention to the tow price, the mileage price, and any other additional fees. The average nationwide should be a little over $100. Longer mileage may increase the price, but if the numbers add up to more than $200, then get someone else to do it.