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| ILLEGAL SIGN Posted at Whole Foods Market in Austin |
| ILLEGAL TOWING SIGNS TO WATCH OUT FOR |
| BEWARE of PARKING LOT SCAMS IN TEXAS! |
| NEVER PAY A WRECKER DRIVER ANY MONEY UNLESS HE/SHE SHOWS YOU THEIR WRECKER LICENSE AND GIVES YOU A WRITTEN RECEIPT WITH THE CORRECT DATE, TIME, LOCATION, THEIR NAME AND THE REASON YOU WERE ABOUT TO BE TOWED. GET INSIDE YOUR VEHICLE AND LOCK THE DOOR UNTIL POLICE ARRIVE. STATE LAW PROHIBITS TOW TRUCKS FROM TOWING VEHICLES WITH PASSENGERS INSIDE. |
| ILLEGAL SIGN Posted at Austin Mayor Will Wynn's residential parking garage at 800 West 5th Street in Austin, Texas. |
The towing industry advertises "Damage Free" towing and when you claim damage done to your vehicle upon paying the
charges owed. They all (towing companies) deny they caused the damage because they have Damage Free equipment.
But, in many instances, we have seen damage to the rear bumper, because the wrecker driver didn't drop the wheel lift
(stinger) before backing under the vehicle. Another wrecker driver caused damage is the lower front airdam or front
bumper spoiler being cracked or scraped because the vehicle is lifted to high from the rear and dragged across wheel stops,
road dips, or curbs. A very common damage towing companies deny they caused are scratches on the roof, hood or trunk
lid from the metal magnets on the tow lights they are required to use in order to tow your vehicle down the highway. Door
Locks not working? This is evidence that a wrecker driver used a slimjim, a burglar tool, to gain entry to your vehicle. Be
sure to check all the door locks on your vehicle with the key before leaving the storage facility. Wrecker drivers are trained
to unlock the passenger door in case they mess up the lock, so you would never notice it.
If you hear a loud thumping or excessive road noise, after being towed, this maybe from flat spots on your tires because
wrecker drivers are known to drag or winch vehicles upon the bed of a rollback, a type of tow truck that can carry two
vehicles.
Nothing is safe inside your vehicle, if you leave drugs, change, money, jewelry, etc in your vehicle and it was towed
without your consent, don't be surprised to find things missing. Vehicle Storage facilities are notorious for missing stereos,
CDs, chrome wheels, speakers, engines, illegal narcotics, and broken windows due to burglaries and employee theft. It's
not advisable to make a police report for that your "drug stash" you hid under the seat, that was missing after picking up the
vehicle at the storage lot.
Before leaving the storage facility property, check your vehicle for damage or personal property inside your vehicle, if you
notice any damage or missing items, call the Police to make a police report. Insurance companies will not even consider a
claim on a vehicle storage facility or towing company UNLESS a police report is filed and you have the case number.
The Vehicle Storage Facility is REQUIRED by STATE LAW to provide upon request the vehicle inventory/damage report;
their insurance information; the name, address, phone number to whom authorized the removal of your vehicle; copy of
receipt from the towing company along with their insurance information. If the vehicle storage facility refuses to provide
you ANY of this information, call Toll-Free (in Texas): 800-803-9202 or 800-299-1700 option 3 and file a complaint over
the phone or file a complaint online here.
charges owed. They all (towing companies) deny they caused the damage because they have Damage Free equipment.
But, in many instances, we have seen damage to the rear bumper, because the wrecker driver didn't drop the wheel lift
(stinger) before backing under the vehicle. Another wrecker driver caused damage is the lower front airdam or front
bumper spoiler being cracked or scraped because the vehicle is lifted to high from the rear and dragged across wheel stops,
road dips, or curbs. A very common damage towing companies deny they caused are scratches on the roof, hood or trunk
lid from the metal magnets on the tow lights they are required to use in order to tow your vehicle down the highway. Door
Locks not working? This is evidence that a wrecker driver used a slimjim, a burglar tool, to gain entry to your vehicle. Be
sure to check all the door locks on your vehicle with the key before leaving the storage facility. Wrecker drivers are trained
to unlock the passenger door in case they mess up the lock, so you would never notice it.
If you hear a loud thumping or excessive road noise, after being towed, this maybe from flat spots on your tires because
wrecker drivers are known to drag or winch vehicles upon the bed of a rollback, a type of tow truck that can carry two
vehicles.
Nothing is safe inside your vehicle, if you leave drugs, change, money, jewelry, etc in your vehicle and it was towed
without your consent, don't be surprised to find things missing. Vehicle Storage facilities are notorious for missing stereos,
CDs, chrome wheels, speakers, engines, illegal narcotics, and broken windows due to burglaries and employee theft. It's
not advisable to make a police report for that your "drug stash" you hid under the seat, that was missing after picking up the
vehicle at the storage lot.
Before leaving the storage facility property, check your vehicle for damage or personal property inside your vehicle, if you
notice any damage or missing items, call the Police to make a police report. Insurance companies will not even consider a
claim on a vehicle storage facility or towing company UNLESS a police report is filed and you have the case number.
The Vehicle Storage Facility is REQUIRED by STATE LAW to provide upon request the vehicle inventory/damage report;
their insurance information; the name, address, phone number to whom authorized the removal of your vehicle; copy of
receipt from the towing company along with their insurance information. If the vehicle storage facility refuses to provide
you ANY of this information, call Toll-Free (in Texas): 800-803-9202 or 800-299-1700 option 3 and file a complaint over
the phone or file a complaint online here.
| None of these signs directly above comply with the Texas Towing Law because neither signs: bears the words "Unauthorized Vehicles Will Be Towed at Owner's or Operator's Expense". Occupations Code 2308.301(b)(5). If you were towed from any parking lot without your consent and the red and white sign failed to contain the exact statement shown in red, there is a good chance you were illegally towed. Towing companies face stiff administrative fines for towing with illegal signs posted, but get away with it everyday because victims (motorist) fail to file a complaint online with TDLR. It is real simple, if the red and white towing sign posted at the parking lot you were towed from, file a complaint at the above link, does not state what is shown in red above in the exact phrase, the complaint explanation should be for violating Occupations Code 2308.301(b)(5). |
| BEWARE OF SPOTTERS WATCHING THE PARKING LOT YOU ARE ABOUT TO PARK IN! YOUR CHANCES OF BEING ILLEGALLY TOWED ARE VERY HIGH! |
| An APARTMENT COMPLEX may not have a vehicle removed from the parking facility merely because the vehicle does not display: (1) an unexpired license plate or registration insignia issued for the vehicle under Chapter 502, Transportation Code, or the vehicle registration law of another state or country; or (2) a valid vehicle inspection certificate issued under Chapter 548, Transportation Code, or the vehicle inspection law of another state or country. (e) A contract provision providing for the removal from a parking facility of a vehicle that does not display an unexpired license plate or registration insignia or a valid inspection certificate is valid only if the provision requires the owner or operator of the vehicle to be given at least 10 days' written notice that the vehicle will be towed from the facility at the vehicle owner's or operator's expense if it is not removed from the parking facility. The notice must be: (1) delivered in person to the owner or operator of the vehicle; or (2) sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to that owner or operator. Basically, if your vehicle is towed for an expired inspection and/or registration and the registered owner did not receive a certified letter, your vehicle was illegally towed. You most definitely want to file an online complaint against the towing service for violating Occupations Code 2308.253 (d)(1)(2). |
| ILLEGAL SIGN POSTED IN AZLE |
| EASY MONEY SCAM BY TOWING COMPANIES |
| Another scam that towing companies will attempt to get away with, is charging two separate towing fees when a trailer is hooked up to a vehicle, even when both pieces were towed at the same time. According to TDLR rules, only one towing fee maybe charge, while the vehicle storage facility may charge storage on each unit that bears a licence plate number. Case in point, a truck towing a trailer with 6 motorcycles gets in a wreck, wrecker tows truck with trailer attached loaded with motorcycles to storage lot, one towing can be charges and eight storage charges, 1 for truck, 1 trailer and 1 for each of 6 motorcycles. Now there are scum bag companies that will try and charges you a towing fee for the trailer loaded motorcycles, so the consumer has to read over the bill before paying. Should you encounter this illegal towing fee when both are still connected in the storage facility, call the Police or TDLR at 800-803-9202 M-F 8am to 5pm and file an online complaint against both, the towing company and vehicle storage facility for these type of fee issues, before paying the bill! |
| NEVER SIGN ANYTHING A WRECKER DRIVER OR VEHICLE STORAGE FACILITY EMPLOYEE GIVES YOU UNTIL YOU READ WHAT THEY ARE ASKING YOU TO SIGN. AT THE VEHICLE STORAGE FACILITY, CHECK YOUR VEHICLE FOR DAMAGE BEFORE SIGNING ANYTHING. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU EVER TRUST A WRECKER DRIVER, THEY MAY ACT ALL NICE BUT WILL CUT YOUR THROAT IN A MINUTE, IF THEY THINK THEY CAN MAKE MONEY. WHEN A PARENT WITH KIDS MUST RIDE IN THE CAB OF A TOW TRUCK BECAUSE YOUR VEHICLE IS BEING TOWED, MAKE SURE THE PARENT SITS NEXT TO THE WRECKER DRIVER. IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR A CONVICTED CHILD MOLESTER TO BE DRIVING A TOW TRUCK, KEEP YOUR KIDS OUT OF HIS REACH!! |
| It has been reported, documented and video taped that several towing companies within the State of Texas without the necessary equipment (heavy duty wreckers), are breaking into tractor trailers, hot wiring the ignition, driving the trucks to the vehicle storage facility and charging the owner/operators or trucking companies a towing fee, in a lot of cases, two towing fees, one for the tractor and one for trailer. This behavior by towing companies is 100% illegal and criminal. If this has happened to you, demand that the law enforcement agency to which the parking facility is located in files criminal charges against whoever the towing company's receipt indicates is the driver. |