Tow truck scammers targeting crash victims. What to know

Tow truck bandits targeting crash victims

Scammers posing as tow truck drivers are preying on accident victims, leaving one man with thousands of dollars in bogus fees.

LOS ANGELES - Scammers posing as tow truck drivers are preying on accident victims, forcing some to pay thousands of dollars. 

What they're saying:

"It’s a total scam. They listen for police scanners, they know where accidents happen, and a truck just mysteriously shows up to pick up the vehicle," said Niko, a victim of the elaborate scam. 

When a drunk driver plowed into this parked Lexus in Redondo Beach on a Saturday, Niko, who asked us not to share his last name, said his insurance company told him a tow truck would pick up the car on Monday. But on Sunday, a man showed up claiming to be part of the insurance network. 

"This driver showed up a day early and I thought ‘great, wow’, I’ve never had an insurance be that on top of it. Great, let’s get it done quicker." 

He said the tow truck driver, identified as Andre Corrales, agreed to take his car to a specific auto body shop, but the car never arrived at that location. 

"He went media silent. And it must have been six or seven hours and finally we got a cryptic text message from him saying they were closed, so I had to take your car to a different location and that was all we heard from him," Niko explained to FOX 11. 

To track down the car, Niko and his insurance company had to play detective. And while they searched for the missing car, the tow yard kept racking up thousands of dollars in storage fees. 

"They take these cars specifically without consent from the owner. They take them, they hold them, and the longer they hold them, the more beneficial it is to them, because they can charge exorbitant daily rates."

They eventually located the car at a tow yard and the bill to release it came to a staggering $5,519.47. 

FOX 11 reached out to the tow company for comment but the business now appears to be permanently closed. Niko believes they are still operating under a different name. 

As for the tow truck driver, Corrales was charged with grand theft auto and theft by false pretenses. He never showed up to court so there’s a warrant out for his arrest. 

Andre Corrales

What you can do:

Redondo Beach City Attorney Sydne Michel issued the following statement: 

"Tow truck bandits are a problem that need to be addressed through more criminal prosecutions of illegal operations. They exploit vulnerable victims of car accidents and other emergencies who are suffering from a traumatic event."

Authorities have been sounding the alarm about these so-called Tow Truck Bandits. A few months ago, LAPD and CHP held a news conference to explain how the scams are carried out.

"We need to make sure that other people are not victimized like this. We were fortunate that our insurance company covered the cost. Not everybody has that luxury, and if you have to pay for something like this out of pocket. It could be devastating to families, and the quicker we can put a stop to this, or at least find the players responsible, I think the better off everybody will be in Los Angeles," Niko added.