Beware of Car Towing Companies That Patrol Private Parking Lots

Typically, cars are towed to storage lots that may be far from where the car was parked.

Several years ago, Mr. Friedman said, predatory towing was rampant in Montgomery County, just outside Washington. “It was one of the No. 1 complaints we were receiving,” he said. “People think their car is stolen and call the police.”

The county adopted regulations that helped to curb the problem, he said, but the practice was also significantly reduced by a class-action settlement in 2018 against an area towing company.

In June, the Virginia attorney general sued a towing company in Arlington, accusing it of violating state and local laws by engaging in towing conduct that was “frequently predatory, aggressive, overreaching and illegal,” and that caused “financial harm” to consumers.

The suit, filed in Arlington County Circuit Court, claimed that the company, Advanced Towing, illegally towed vehicles including food delivery cars like those working for DoorDash and Uber Eats; Amazon delivery vans; and, on at least two occasions, even police vehicles. A trial is scheduled in October.

In an interview, John O’Neill, the owner of Advanced Towing, disputed the allegations in the suit. “It’s such a witch hunt,” he said.

Drivers seeking to avoid paying for parking at a mall will often use free parking in a nearby retail lot, Mr. O’Neill said. “To avoid paying, they choose to park illegally” and are subject to towing, he said.

He added that the retail lots were clearly marked with signs indicating that the spaces were for customers only.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/07/your-money/car-tow-companies-fees.html