Towing contractors or companies are responsible for providing safe and secure roadside assistance to people who got stuck in the middle of a road. It is a noble and valuable profession as the workers associated with this profession rescue people whose vehicle was broken down or damaged in an accident. It is absolutely a legitimate business by all means. However, unethical practices, in the form of additional fees and inconvenience, turn towing companies into scams. Consequently, people end up with a horrible towing experience and lose faith in paid roadside assistance.
We see all kinds of vehicles, from small cars to extra heavy trucks, on the roads. It is true that the roads are busy places prone to accidents and people need honest professionals in towing to fix their problems on the road. Some of the common towing scams include:
- In some cases, a fraudulent towing company would simply park a vehicle on some private property and not turn it over until the owner of the vehicle pays inflated charges.
- Some towing contractors work closely with auto body shops that pay them to tow wrecked vehicles directly to their shops. It is a very common scam that most innocent people face. Your vehicle must be towed to a repair shop of your choice.
- Sometimes unauthorized towing experts, with fake names and documents, successfully convince people with their sweet marketing style that they would tow their vehicle safely to a repair shop and people would never see their vehicle again. .
How to detect scammers?
It is not very difficult to know if a towing contractor is honest and trustworthy. These are some of the safety tips that can be followed before hiring a towing company.
- Make sure to check all the important documents that may include the insurance paper, the license and the supporting documents that establish the credibility of the company.
- Be sure to sign a contract that includes all the pricing and procedure details to avoid being overcharged for a service. Signing a contract will make you less likely to be scammed.
- In most places, it is illegal for a towing company to give auto body shop referrals to its customers. It is considered bad practice. Don’t listen to crane contractors when they talk about references. It is advisable to get referrals from people you trust.
- Make sure your towing contractor is trustworthy and follows all safety and legal procedures. Also, make sure they are affordable.
