'Abhorrent scheme': Scammers towed vehicles in LA while wildfire burned, official says
Some Los Angeles County residents victimized by last month's devastating Eaton Fire were actually victimized twice − by the blazes and by fraudulent companies that towed their vehicles away, a county officials says.
The fire, which ignited Jan. 7 near Pasadena, killed over a dozen people, burned more than 9,000 homes, businesses and other buildings and essentially destroyed the Altadena community. Kathryn Barger, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, said that, in the first four days of the blaze, some tow operators falsely claimed to be contracted by Altadena officials and towed vehicles without telling owners where the cars were being stored.
Later, tow company representatives demanded excessive fees to release vehicles, some of which were stored in Riverside or San Bernardino County, Barger said in a statement this week.
“I find it disgusting that these fraudulent tow operators exploited fire survivors during their time of distress,” Barger said.
Barger's office didn't immediately say how many residents were targeted. Anyone contacted by a tow company under suspicious circumstances, such as being asked to send a photo of their driver’s license or being told there was a problem locating their vehicle, are encouraged to report their experience to the Inland Empire Auto Insurance Fraud Task Force.
Barger condemns the predatory tactics
“Those behind this abhorrent scheme must be held accountable and brought to justice," Barger said. "I urge anyone who was victimized to come forward so we can stop these bad actors from preying on our communities.”
Barger expressed her concerns days after the California Department of Insurance issued a public warning for California drivers about an increase in scams involving tow truck companies targeting car accident victims where vehicles are being "held hostage for cash." That investigation began before the blazes began burning.
Suspect put a lien on Prius
David Gueringer and Ursula Knudson are among the victims of the scam, telling abc7.com a towing company told them it was contracted by the city of Los Angeles to "to take away vehicles to remove burnable debris."
The couple's insurance company tried to track down the vehicles and realized they had been targeted, Gueringer said. The suspect even put a lien on their Prius.
"It's complicated," Knudson said of the scam. "It would be impressive if it wasn't so awful."
Cleanup, fallout from fires continues
The cleanup and reconstruction of the Eaton and Palisades fires remain in the early stages, and fallout is continuing. Last week Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ousted city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley amid scrutiny of the city's response to wildfires that killed at least 28 people. Bass said Crowley, among other things, was responsible for sending 1,000 firefighters home the day the fires broke out. Her dismissal drew immediate criticism from the firefighters' union.
Bass herself is facing criticism over a fire department funding cut in the fire-prone region and the timing of a diplomatic trip to Ghana as dangerous fire conditions loomed.
Contributing: Ernesto Centeno Araujo and Michael Loria