This man might be the neighbor of the month.
Quinn Hardy (@quinnickleshow) took to TikTok to share how he saved his neighbor from a towing scam.
The ordeal started when Hardy’s car was hit while parked outside his home. Luckily, nobody was injured.
The man who hit Hardy’s car exchanged insurance information with him, called 911, and called to get his car towed. “Everything was fine,” Hardy assured.
Tow Operators at the Scene
@quinnickleshowSLIPPERS ARE COMING OFF
Suddenly, four other tow trucks appeared alongside the one called. They claimed they were there to help and that someone called them—a statement both men knew was a lie.
The following morning, a woman who owned the other struck car came to the scene and called a towing company. Mirroring the previous morning, a tow truck driver she did not call pulled up — trying to convince her to let him tow her vehicle.
Hardy realized what was going on and intervened, but unlike the day before, this driver wasn’t going down easy.
“Are you calling me a crook?” he demanded of Hardy and threatened to hurt him. The two got into a heated exchange, but luckily, before things escalated too far, the correct tow truck driver arrived.
Listening in on Scanners
But how did these uncalled-for tow trucks get there?
Hardy explained, “Apparently, there’s tow trucks that are listening in to police scanners, so they can hear when car accidents happen. So they can show up unsolicited and take your car, impound it. So they can charge you money to release it. It’s predatory towing.”
These “predatory” tow truck drivers are not rare, unfortunately. In the comment section, many users shared their experiences with them.
“Got into a car accident, the state trooper stayed with us until the tow truck we called came. They kept circling like vultures, the officer said he was sick of them,” one person wrote.
“I broke up a fight of wreck chasers after a nurse fell asleep and flipped his car after an extremely long shift and they were legit fighting over who was there first when a sweet healthcare worker was bleeding,” another user added.
Protecting Yourself From Scams
Thousands of tow truck scams are attempted and occur each year. Car accidents are typically stressful, leaving drivers emotionally vulnerable.
But before letting someone remove your vehicle, there are several things to keep in mind.
Unless authorities intervene, it is up to you who tows your car and where they’re allowed to take it. So if the driver tries to pressure you or make you feel like you have no choice—they’re likely scamming you.
Per R.K. Mooney Insurance Brokers, the tow operator is required to inform you where they’ll take your car, and if they’re getting paid for towing it.
Speaking of costs, an invoice should be provided before you pay for services, and the price can’t be 10% higher than what you agreed upon.
Ideally, you should call your own tow operator. You likely won’t be working with a scammer, and you won’t have to go through as many steps to verify their legitimacy,