In a recent disturbing trend, car towing scams targeting the Chinese community in Southern California have become alarmingly common. One of the latest victims, Mr. Li, experienced the theft of his nearly $300,000 Aston Martin DB12, which he watched helplessly as it was taken away by scammers posing as a legitimate towing company.
Mr. Li, a resident of San Diego, initially planned to take his 2023 Aston Martin to a dealership in Irvine for consignment. However, due to his busy schedule and the distance from his home, which is outside the towing company’s service area, he contacted a separate towing company himself.
On the day of the incident, the towing service arrived as scheduled and took his car. Hours later, another towing truck showed up at Mr. Li’s home, claiming they were there to tow his vehicle. Confused, Mr. Li informed them that his car had already been taken. After further investigation, he discovered that the first towing company was a fraudulent operation. It appeared that information from the legitimate towing company had been leaked and exploited by the scammers, who had already absconded with his vehicle.
That night, Mr. Li received a call from the scammers demanding a $20,000 ransom for the return of his car. Infuriated, he decided to report the incident to the police and ignored the scammers’ demands. Days later, the scammers contacted him again, offering to lower the ransom and promising to help him retrieve his car. Mr. Li feigned interest but ultimately did not hear from them again.
These scams are not just targeting individuals; professional car dealers are also at risk. Joseph, a Chinese car dealer from Southern California, shared his near-miss with such a scam involving a $100,000 BMW 840i he had just purchased. He used a reliable towing platform called Central Dispatch, which typically requires strict vetting of both towing companies and dealers to ensure safety.
However, a few weeks ago, Joseph received a call from someone with an Indian accent claiming to be from the towing company he contacted. Although he was wary, the caller provided accurate information about the towing business and his request, leading Joseph to feel secure enough to share his gate pass number. The caller assured him that his car would arrive the next day.
Later that evening, Joseph received a call from the legitimate towing company’s customer service, who informed him that they had never received his request. They revealed that their account had been hacked earlier in the day and warned Joseph that scammers might have stolen his information with the intent to steal his car.
In a panic, Joseph tried to contact the BMW dealership but found no one available after hours. Fortunately, he learned the next day that his vehicle had not been picked up. He speculated that its location may have protected it, as dealerships and used car lots often have multiple security systems in place, making them less susceptible to such scams compared to individual car owners.
Joseph emphasized that fake towing companies typically operate under two main schemes: selling stolen cars abroad or extorting car owners. He cautioned all vehicle owners to be vigilant when seeking towing services, advising them to use trusted platforms and verify information thoroughly to avoid becoming victims of these insidious scams.
