Revealed: The Surest Way To Avoid Towing Fraud In Baton Rouge

Editor's note: This post was originally published on July 25, 2016 and has been updated for accuracy and relevance.

When you are in a car accident, remaining calm and knowing what to do, and knowing you’re in control can go a long way to protecting your vehicle and your money. Sad as it may be, there are people actively looking to take advantage of those who are in the vulnerable situation created by an accident. If you find yourself in this situation, there are a number of things you need to do quickly, while simultaneously being aware of potential scams. The threat of those scams could start as soon as a tow truck arrives on the scene. While there are many things you need to be aware of, we believe that looking out for one thing in particular is the surest way to avoid towing fraud in Baton Rouge.

What is that one thing? Be wary of a truck you didn’t call.

Taken in the context of reading this, you may be thinking, “Well, of course.” But, put yourself in the shoes of someone who was just in an accident. You are completely shaken up. You are making sure no one is hurt. You need to contact police to fill out a report. You need to contact a repair shop. This, along with a handful of other things that need to be done in the wake of an accident. Meanwhile, here comes a tow truck out of nowhere. If you are in that situation, you are just as likely to say, “Thank goodness. That’s one less thing to worry about,” as you are to say, “Where did that come from?”

There are two possible answers to how that tow truck just “happened” to be in the right place at the right time. The first is, some towing companies, and some body shops that have agreements with towing companies scan police radio listening for reports of an accident, then dispatch someone without being called. Another possibility the driver of the tow truck stays within a certain perimeter of a high accident area to be first on the scene. These drivers are called “wreck chasers.” There was even a short lived reality show about the wreck chasers in Philadelphia on the Discovery Channel a few years ago.

What’s wrong with using the first truck on the scene, even if you didn’t call them? To put it simply, if you didn’t call them, then you’re not in control. They could be reputable, but you have no way of knowing that on the scene, and the risk is too great to just trust someone who was out hunting for an accident. In all likelihood, they have a deal with a body shop that pays them for every car they bring in. We frequently remind our customers about the dangers of direct repair. The same warning applies to unsolicited tow truck operators. If you have no control over where your car is being taken, then you have no control over the quality of work that will be performed once it gets there.

Also, your insurance company is supposed to covering the towing cost after an accident. Since this is the case, you won’t need to deal with the added cost of a tow truck as you already pay for it. There is no reason to incur the risk of having your insurance company come back and say that they won't pay for someone they didn't approve. It is worth noting that any time an insurance company is involved, you need to be aware of the possibility of “steering.” Also, if you call Medines while waiting for police, we will dispatch a truck right away and that will get the process moving much faster so you're not just sitting and waiting.

What do you do if an unsolicited tow truck driver approaches you after an accident? Firmly tell them no. That may sound simple, but it is often anything but. If chasing wrecks is how this driver makes their living, they will likely be adamant about taking your car. When you tell them no, they will push back. Rest assured that the harder they push, the more likely it is that they weren’t reputable in the first place. A reputable driver knows how things are supposed to work, and will either walk away or wait to be properly dispatched. A disreputable driver knows they need to have your car on the truck and on its way to who knows where before you realize what’s happening.

At the end of the day, every step along the post-accident process comes down to this: you are in control. If anyone tells you otherwise, that should send up an automatic red flag in your mind that something isn’t right.