What is predatory towing? Alberta Motor Association warns drivers about ‘accident chasers’

So-called predatory towing is a growing concern in Edmonton and across Alberta. Scammers put drivers in high-pressure situations and tack on the costs. So the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) wants to help drivers learn how to avoid predators.

One person targeted in this ploy is Brandy Wachter’s daughter Paige. She was in a car crash a few months ago, and although she called AMA first, a different driver showed up at the scene.

“Tow truck company just swoops in and takes advantage of the people that are in a vulnerable spot, it’s heartbreaking,” Brandy Wachter said.

Wachter said the operator told her daughter the vehicle couldn’t be towed to her house, then harassed the family after they towed the vehicle to a storage facility.

“The tow truck driver had called me, and texted me inappropriately, demanding all this money, but I still hadn’t seen an invoice,” Wachter said.

Wachter’s daughter isn’t the only victim of this type of incident, which is prompting AMA to step in.

“If there is any industry of trust that people put their faith in, there are those that will try and take advantage of it,” said Jeff Kasbrick with AMA.

2:21 Alberta drivers warned of aggressive tow truck operators

The association says until this year, these “accident chasers” were virtually non-existent. But then, this summer they saw a sharp increase in complaints.

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The AMA said unethical operators will arrive at a collision or breakdown scene uninvited, create a false sense of urgency to move the vehicle, and ultimately leave drivers facing huge fees.

Edmonton and Calgary in particular are seeing increasing reports of predatory towing.

“People are going to be coming in and providing significant high-pressure tactics and creating a sense of urgency that an Albertan involved in a vehicle breakdown or a collision needs to respond right away,” said Kasbrick.

Kasbrick says it’s important to know your rights before these scammers show up.

• You have the right to refuse unsolicited towing services
• You have the right to choose who tows your vehicle, and where, unless otherwise directed by police
• You have the right to access your vehicle to retrieve personal items during a storage facility’s business hours
• You have the right to ask if the towing company receives a kickback for taking your vehicle to a particular storage facility or repair shop
• You have the right to a quote prior to service, and an itemized invoice prior to making payment

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Professional tow truck operators in Alberta say this practice hurts the industry.

“To have somebody out there taking advantage of those Albertans and those people that are in a time of need or in a vulnerable state, moments after a collision is just very unfortunate,” said Don Getschel with the Towing and Recovery Association of Alberta.

Wachter says she didn’t know about this ploy before it happened to her family and the more people that know the better.

“Just word of mouth and getting the word out to protect yourself and not get scammed. Because that’s what they are, they’re scammers,” said Wachter.

The AMA encourages Albertans to visit their website for more information on how to avoid these scams if they’re in an accident.

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