Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said the supposed tow truck drivers were scamming people during the first four days—January 7 through January 10, 2025—of the blaze. “I find it disgusting that these fraudulent tow operators exploited fire survivors during their time of distress,” Barger said. “Those behind this abhorrent scheme must be held accountable and brought to justice. I urge anyone who was victimized to come forward so we can stop these bad actors from preying on our communities.”
“Anyone who was contacted by a tow company under these suspicious circumstances—which include being asked to send a photo of their driver’s license or struggling to locate their vehicle—are encouraged to report their experience to the Inland Empire Auto Insurance Fraud Task Force,” Barger added.
David Gueringer, an Altadena resident, told KTLA News that he got a call from a towing company claiming to be working with the city as his home was being evacuated. They had offered to tow away vehicles left in the fire zone for safety reasons, “so they don’t burn, to remove objects that might contribute to the fire, said Gueringer, who agreed to have his Chevy Tahoe SUV and Prius sedan. Days later, Gueringer’s insurance company told him that the towing company charged him about $3,000 to release one vehicle. Wait, it gets worse: the towing bandits had also put a lien on his Prius. Gueringer said he was thankful his insurance company stepped in to help, but authorities believe there could be more victims who didn’t realize they were conned.
Scams After Vehicle Accidents
Another scam is preying on drivers immediately after a vehicle accident. According to the California Department of Insurance, this scam involves a tow truck showing up immediately after a collision occurs and offering to help the driver by towing their vehicle to a body shop. Then the body shop forces the driver to pay a large amount of money typically not covered by your insurance in order to get your vehicle back. “This type of scam is preying on drivers at their most vulnerable moments—immediately after an accident—when they should be focused on their safety and next steps, not fighting to get their vehicle back,” said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara.
On February 18, 2025 the California Department of Insurance warned California drivers about an increase in scams involving tow truck companies targeting car accident victims where vehicles are being held hostage for cash. The scam has become prevalent in Southern California and the Department’s Inland Empire Automobile Insurance Fraud Task Force, has investigated multiple cases including one that has resulted in the arraignment and charges against 16 Southern California residents. That investigation began in November 2022 after the fraud task force found out a California Highway Patrol employee was unlawfully selling traffic collision report face pages, which contained personal information of people who had been involved in collisions throughout Southern California.
Scam Alerts
READ MORE WILDFIRE LOSS LEGAL NEWS
Here are a few tips to spot a scammer:
- A tow truck shows up within minutes of an accident
- The driver insists on bringing the car to a specific body shop
- The driver asks you to sign documents
- The driver requests a ride share on your behalf
“This type of scam is preying on drivers at their most vulnerable moments — immediately after an accident — when they should be focused on their safety and next steps, not fighting to get their vehicle back,” said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara in a statement. “Our department is committed to protecting Californians from fraud, and this PSA is an important step in ensuring drivers know the warning signs and how to protect themselves.”
An investigation into a tow truck scam ring recently resulted in charges against 16 Southern California residents. This ring is accused of engaging in multiple schemes, including creating fraudulent insurance claims to illegally collect more than $200,000, holding vehicles hostage and purposely causing a collision.
Other Altadena residents have reported similar scams as that of Gueringer. Barger has asked the residents to contact her if they had suspicious experiences with tow companies amid the wildfire.
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