Guides
Predatory towing and body shop scams
How bandit tow trucks and dishonest repair shops exploit drivers after a crash, the warning signs, state protections and how to protect your car and your claim.
Predatory towing happens when a tow truck you did not call shows up at a crash, hooks your car and later demands inflated towing and storage fees, sometimes steering the car to a shop that pads the repair bill. Dishonest body shops add their own schemes: billing for new parts while installing used ones, inflating damage or offering to hide your deductible. The best protection is to accept only a tow arranged by the police, your insurer or your roadside plan, get prices in writing and choose your own repair shop.
How predatory towing works
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) describes predatory, rogue or bandit towing as towers using deceptive or coercive practices against motorists in stressful situations. NICB reports an 89% increase nationwide in predatory towing claims from the beginning of 2022 to the end of 2024, from big cities to rural areas.
The common patterns:
- Unsolicited arrival. Legitimate towers wait to be called. Predatory towers monitor police scanners or cruise busy areas to reach crashes before drivers can make informed choices.
- Hidden and inflated fees. NICB says motorists have been charged thousands of dollars, in some cases more than $16,000, after tows from crash scenes, often padded with vague "miscellaneous" and storage fees. The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud warns of charges for inspections, photos and administration.
- Holding the car hostage. Once the car is at a lot or shop, it can be held until someone pays, while storage fees grow daily.
- Steering. NICB says bandit tow drivers often take cars to dishonest repair shops and may refer drivers to unscrupulous medical providers and attorneys.
- Patrol towing. The Coalition describes spotters who watch for illegally parked cars so a partner can tow them to an impound lot.
State and local protections
Protections vary widely. NICB says many states lack licensing requirements for tow operators, bans on soliciting at crash scenes or rules requiring fee transparency. It reports recent reforms in Chicago, Arkansas, Virginia, Idaho, Kentucky and Utah, and supported a Florida law, HB 179, signed in 2024. According to NICB, the Florida law requires reasonable towing and storage fees, requires towers to accept more payment methods, shortens notice-of-lien periods so cars can be released sooner and extends the time owners have to recover their vehicles before they are sold.
Check your state's or city's rules on tow licensing, maximum rates and required price disclosures; your state attorney general, consumer protection office or police department can tell you what applies.
Body shop schemes to watch for
NICB's auto repair scams page and the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud describe these:
| Scheme | What happens | The risk to you |
|---|---|---|
| Airbag fraud | A shop installs a salvaged, stolen or counterfeit airbag and bills for a new one | An airbag that may not work |
| "Burying" the deductible | The shop hides your deductible in the estimate, for example by billing for factory parts and installing cheaper ones | It is insurance fraud, and you may get inferior parts |
| Inflated estimates | Charging for work never done or parts never installed, or exaggerating damage | Unsafe repairs and higher premiums for everyone |
| Counterfeit or substandard parts | Used or knockoff parts billed as new | Parts that can fail on the road |
| Kickbacks | Shops pay people, including tow drivers, to refer crash victims | Your car goes to a shop chosen for the kickback, not quality |
| Glass solicitations | Someone offers an unsolicited windshield "inspection" or repair | A first step in a glass fraud scheme |
| Chop shops | Fronts that strip stolen cars and sell the parts | Stolen parts entering repairs |
Know the difference between scams and legitimate parts policies: insurers may specify aftermarket parts or recycled parts under your policy and state law, and that is disclosed on the estimate. The scam is billing for one kind of part and installing another. See Aftermarket vs OEM parts in insurance repairs.
Protecting yourself at a crash scene
- If you did not request the tow, say no. NICB's tip sheet says to wait for law enforcement and request a licensed tower.
- Use a tow you trust. Call your insurer's claims or roadside line, your auto club or the police. If you carry towing and labor coverage or roadside assistance, the insurer can dispatch a tow; see roadside assistance coverage vs auto club membership.
- Get the price list up front, including per-mile, hook-up and daily storage rates, and the tow company's name, license number and lot address.
- Sign only the tow authorization. The Coalition advises signing only the form that authorizes the tow; everything else can wait.
- Choose the destination yourself. Never let the tow driver pick the repair shop.
- Ask for a signed damage report at the scene, and photograph the car before it is hooked.
- Avoid paying cash. Legitimate towers accept traceable payment, NICB notes.
- Keep your insurance and personal details to yourself. The Coalition advises never giving the tow driver your insurance or other personal information.
The after-accident checklist and information form includes space to record the tow company's details.
Protecting yourself at the repair shop
- You choose the shop. Your insurer may recommend a direct repair program shop, but in many states you cannot be required to use one; see choosing a repair shop: direct repair programs and your rights.
- Ask for a written damage report rather than a bare cost estimate. NICB says a damage report is a more detailed blueprint of the repairs.
- Check credentials. NICB suggests shops that employ technicians certified by Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).
- Get a written warranty on parts and paintwork.
- Compare the final invoice with the estimate and ask the shop to explain extra charges.
- Refuse deductible waivers. An offer to make your deductible disappear by padding the bill is fraud.
- Check the airbag light. The Coalition notes the airbag warning light should come on briefly when you start the car; if it does not, have it checked.
If your car is being held or overcharged
- Call your insurer; adjusters deal with towing and storage disputes regularly and may negotiate or move the car.
- Ask for an itemized bill and the tower's license and rate authority.
- Contact the police department or agency that regulates towing in your area, and your state attorney general's consumer protection office.
- Report the tower or shop to the NICB at 800-835-6422 and to your state insurance department's fraud unit; see how to report insurance fraud.
Other crash-scene schemes, such as runners who steer victims to clinics and lawyers, are covered in scams that target drivers after an accident.
Key takeaways
- A tow truck that arrives uninvited is a red flag; accept tows arranged by the police, your insurer or your roadside plan.
- NICB reports an 89% rise in predatory towing claims from 2022 through 2024, with some bills topping $16,000.
- Get prices in writing, sign only the tow authorization and never let the tower pick your repair shop.
- Watch for airbag fraud, padded estimates, parts switching and offers to bury your deductible.
- Report predatory towers and dishonest shops to your insurer, local authorities and the NICB.