To protect yourself, Durham police offer the following tips:
- Know what your insurance policy covers. See if you have roadside assistance coverage and what the limits are. If you’ve been in a collision, find out how your car insurance company handles towing and how much your insurer will cover.
- Don’t let a towing operator take your vehicle until you view a Government of Ontario Towing Consumer Bill of Rights. You should be shown a towing and storage rate sheet listing towing fees, daily storage fees (if any), and all other miscellaneous charges.
- You should be given a copy of an ‘Authorization to Tow’ form that includes where your vehicle will be towed to as well as the driver’s name and contact information.
- Make sure that the company name on the tow truck matches the documentation and do not agree to a demand for a cash payment to release your vehicle without consulting your insurance company first.
- Do not give out your insurance information. Some fraudulent tow operators use this information for additional scams, like calling the victim and pretending to be their insurer or providing it to a health practitioner.
- If you suspect fraud or if the tow truck driver refuses to leave, call the police.
For more information about this project, please contact the Intelligence Branch of the DRPS at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 5800.
Excerpts from https://www.durhamradionews.com/archives/123785
