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  Geebo 9:00 am on January 22, 2024 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cars ( 11 ), Scams ( 1,224 ), tow truck, towing scam ( 2 )   

  Winter weather towing scam leaves drivers stranded 

  

  By Greg Collier

  The past few weeks have blanketed a large part of the country in snow. Along with the snow came single digit and even negative temperatures, which kept snow and ice on the roads even longer. As you might expect, this has been a nightmare for drivers. Even the most experienced drivers can find themselves stuck in the snow, or stranded with a car that won’t start. This can be made even more difficult if the driver is in an area they are unfamiliar with. To make matters worse, these stranded drivers can find themselves sitting ducks for scammers.

  This past week in Iowa, authorities discovered a towing scam ring. Scammers there have copied the Google listings of legitimate towing companies but have added their phone number instead. As we’ve mentioned in the past, scammers will often pay platforms like Google to have their listing placed in the search rankings above the legitimate companies. When drivers find themselves in need of a tow truck, they might call one of these fake towing companies out of desperation. The scammers collect a payment over the phone, but no tow truck ever arrives. With this kind of extreme weather, that could leave the driver and any passengers in grave danger.

  However, there are a few ways to protect yourself from this scam. The best way is to sign up for a roadside assistance plan. This way, you can rely on the service to find a legitimate towing service for you. You can also find a legitimate towing company in your area and add their number to your phone in case you may need their services.

  But if you’re stuck in the snow and haven’t taken precautions lie those mentioned above, there’s still hope. If a towing company wants payment up front, there’s a very good possibility they’re trying to scam you. Also, be wary of any towing company that answers your call with a generic name like ‘Towing’. Scammers like this are often imitating several different towing companies simultaneously. You may want to call the local police at their non-emergency number to see if there’s a garage or company they recommend.

   

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  Geebo 9:00 am on December 1, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cars ( 11 ), Scams ( 1,224 ), tow truck, towing scam ( 2 )   

  Watch out for tow truck scams this holiday season 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Like most holiday seasons, many people will be travelling by car to visit friends and relatives. Unfortunately, many people also have cars that may not be in the best condition, attempting to make a trip where their car might break down. Or winter weather may make for hazardous road conditions where a holiday traveler may have a small accident. All of this could happen in an area that the driver is unfamiliar with. They still need to call a tow truck, but which one should they call?

  Police in Western Massachusetts are saying don’t call the first tow truck company you find on Google as it may be a scam. According to local police, scammers have set up fake tow truck companies in their area. When someone breaks down, they’ll call one of these scam services and make a deposit with their credit card, but the truck never comes. The phony tow truck companies are just looking to get the deposit. Police in Greenfield, Mass., found four supposedly local tow truck companies that were using abandoned buildings as their business addresses.

  So, how can you prevent yourself from being victimized in a scam like this? The best way is to sign up for a road assistance plan like the ones offered by AAA. While some consumers may think the expense of a road assistance plan isn’t worth it, you’ll be glad to have one if your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Plans like this contract with legitimate shops and tow truck companies.

  But what if you’re stuck on the side of the road, and you don’t have a plan like that. What do you do then? You’re not going to like the answer, but you’ll need to do some research. Scammers like this often buy sponsored positions on search engines to make their listing appear in the top search results. If you call them, and they answer with a generic name like ‘Towing’, there’s a good chance they could be scammers. Check for towing companies with good reviews that have been around for a couple of years at least. Lastly, you may want to call the local police at their non-emergency number to see if there’s a garage or company they recommend.