PITTSBURGH — The President of the Pennsylvania Towing Association told 11 Investigates that the majority of tow operators are honest, hardworking people.
And she’s calling out those rogue, predatory tow operators.
“These are people who are not legitimate,” said Gwen Null.
Null is the President of the Pennsylvania Towing Association and a tow operator herself.
and she said it only takes a few bad operators to give the industry a bad name.
“They don’t have proper credentials, they don’t have proper insurance, work ethic or anything else that them come out respond to accident scenes and then take advantage of people,” said Null.
At an accident scene on West Liberty Avenue in the City of Pittsburgh, at least five tow trucks showed up before police and ambulances.
“They listen to scanners and they respond. It’s a big problem in cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia,” said Null.
Null said legitimate tow operators wait for a call from police.
“We wait till we get a call, you don’t just show up at an accident. The rogue towers are the ones who show up without being called,” said Null.
11 Investigates told you just last week about tow operators charging as much as $13,000 for short tows.
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In a case 11 Investigates has followed for several years, police have charged Vince Fannick of Vince’s towing with insurance fraud and theft by deception.
He’s accused of overcharging 36 drivers, mostly through insurance companies, more than $300,000 for short tows.
Fannick faces a preliminary hearing later this month.
“The majority of them are honest and they provide a valuable service, but the bad ones, the wreck chasers and the rogue tow companies, you know they are a stain on their industry,” said Chris Sloan, the Executive Director of the Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority.
The problem has gotten so bad that the authority recently launched a statewide campaign to alert drivers and they are urging lawmakers to set fees for tows.
Null doesn’t agree with that.
“When you are talking accident tows, there are no two tows that are exactly the same,” said Null.
Null advises drivers to look for certain things before allowing a tow truck operator to take their vehicle.
“They have to have the name on the door. They have to have their phone number. They have to have their address. They have to have a DOT (Department of Transportation) number,” said Null.
While Null disagreed with setting fees, she does agree with the Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority that drivers should never sign a blank invoice, and take pictures of the tow truck and the damaged vehicle.
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