A Los Angeles musician is warning others after nearly getting caught in what’s known as a "bandit tow" scam—a shady practice that targets drivers right after accidents. Zoë Montana Hoetzel, better known by her stage name Zolita (@zolita), shared the story in a TikTok video that quickly went viral. She says it all started after she was t-boned in a Whole Foods parking lot. "As if that wasn’t terrifying and traumatizing enough, I almost got scammed afterwards as well," she says. Zolita explains that she made the video to help others avoid the same trap, admitting she had never even heard of "bandit towers" before her first accident. By Monday, her post had racked up more than 128,000 views, with commenters shocked at how easily it could have gone wrong. How Did She Almost Get Scammed? Zolita says that right after the crash, she was shaken and not thinking clearly. That’s when two tow trucks suddenly pulled up, seemingly out of nowhere. One of the drivers was wearing an AAA jacket, which led her to believe it was all legitimate. "They were really good at making me trust them," she recalls. OWNERSHIP STORIES Viral stories from across the web Our team of experts tracks what owners are saying about car-shopping, repairs, the daily driving experience and more on social media. Zolita says she hadn’t even called for a tow, but the driver told her he just happened to be "in the area." When she phoned her insurance company to check, an agent unhelpfully told her to go with the drivers and sort out the claim later. "Bad advice, insurance girl," she says. The drivers offered to tow her car to their lot for repairs, but something about the situation felt off. Zolita says her "spidey sense" kicked in, and she phoned her best friend for backup. When her friend arrived, she followed the tow truck to ensure the car was taken to a legitimate shop. It wasn’t. Zolita says the truck drove half an hour to a "weird unmarked lot" with no sign of a real business. Even though the company had a polished website and solid Google reviews, one reviewer urged others to check Yelp instead. That’s where she found pages of horror stories from other victims—people describing nearly identical scams involving fake towers and sky-high "storage fees." "My friend literally flips the car around," she says. "I run to my car, jump in the car," and drive off, pretending her insurer had told her to go elsewhere. She ended up in a Starbucks parking lot, where she finally reached a real AAA employee who confirmed what she suspected: she’d almost been scammed. Gallery: Mercedes Sprinter tow truck by Kegger What Are "Bandit Towers"? When the real AAA driver finally arrived, he told Zolita she’d narrowly avoided getting scammed by what’s known as a "bandit tower." These are tow truck drivers who listen to police scanners, race to crash scenes, and swoop in before anyone else. They often pose as working with your insurance company or roadside assistance service, but they’re not. Their goal is to hook your car, take it to a body shop that pays them a kickback, and rack up massive fees while you scramble to figure out where your vehicle went. "If you ever get in an accident, do not take a tow truck you haven’t called," Zolita warns. According to LAist, these scammers often claim that they were sent to help. They sound convincing, especially when you’ve just been in a car accident. But once they have your signature, they can take your car wherever they want—and charge thousands in towing and other fees. The National Insurance Crime Bureau told the outlet that the scheme is designed to maximize the bill. A car might end up at an undisclosed lot with fees climbing into the thousands of dollars before you track it down. Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Detective Joseph Yamzon says that it’s actually illegal for tow drivers to show up unsolicited at crash scenes. That doesn’t stop bandit towers from trying to make a quick buck, though. LAist reports that police are sometimes able to recover cars, but the signed paperwork can make it hard to intervene. For now, LAPD is urging drivers to stay alert. If you’re in a crash and uninjured, call the police and your insurance company—and don’t hand over your car to anyone you didn’t request. Viewers Share Experiences With ‘Bandit Towers’ Zolita’s story struck a nerve. Many viewers said they’d had almost the same experience. "Girl, this literally just happened to me last week," one woman wrote. "Got in an accident and my car was towed by a private company, they tried to charge $1,000 a day." Another person chimed in with a nightmare of her own. "Girl, this happened to me, and when the tow truck brought me to the repair shop 4 months later, that repair shop still [hadn’t] fixed my car," she said. "They put a lien hold on it. I got a letter from the DMV saying that my car was now owned by the repair shop. That repair shop in Silverlake is now closed, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s still happening." "This happened to me!!! They charged the at-fault insurance like 20k in fake charges," a third viewer claimed. Others said they were shocked that anyone would take advantage of people right after a crash. "People make me so sick! Esp when they prey on ppl that are vulnerable!!! Thank you for making this video!" one woman wrote. "This is crazy," another added. "I would’ve never thought." Motor1 has reached out to Zolita via a direct message on TikTok. We’ll update this if she responds. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team
Liked by Caleb Lewis, Madeleine Roy
Liked by Caleb Lewis, Madeleine Roy
Liked by Caleb Lewis, Madeleine Roy