‘I felt cheated’, cries driver towed by ‘predator’ truck in her own home – camera caught it and she had to pay US$750 in cash

A WOMAN has alleged a towing company charged her hundreds of dollars after removing her vehicle from the garage.

Raquel Vargas, whose car was towed, has a neighbor, Paola Soto, who also claimed she lost money to towing company Affliction Towing after it removed her car from her property.

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Vargas and Soto live in a mobile home community in Gastonia, North Carolina.

By local NBC affiliate WCNC-TVthe women claimed they were targeted by a known tow predator.

Christopher Cole, the owner of Affliction Towing, has been accused of targeting the Gastonia community.

CAUGHT IN THE FLAGRANT

Cole has a long criminal record and was arrested in February 2024 for violating towing laws in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.

In May 2024, he allegedly towed Vargas’ car while she was not home and was captured on her security camera.

According to the agency, Vargas said Cole told her he towed the vehicle because it had an expired tag and that he wanted $750 to return it.

Vargas claimed he received no warning that his car was at risk of being towed with expired tags.

“I said, ‘Excuse me? Where am I supposed to get this money?'” Vargas told WCNC-TV.

VEHICLE RECOVERY

Soto told the publication that Cole charged him $2,000 after towing one of his vehicles and holding it for a day.

She alleged that Cole came back later and towed a second car when she didn’t have the money to get her first car.

Both Vargas and Soto said they had to drive more than an hour to retrieve their vehicles from the Cole parking lot near Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Soto said Cole charged her $4,000 for both cars.

Since she was unable to pay that price, she accepted a deal to give him $600 and the title to one of her vehicles.

According to WCNC-TV, Soto said he contacted police afterward.

However, because Affliction Towing had a contract with their community’s property management, they said they could not act on the situation.

RULES VIOLATIONS

Vargas revealed to the publication that his boss lent him money to recover his vehicle.

However, Cole refused to give him a receipt when he called Affliction Towing.

According to WCNC-TV, towing companies must provide receipt upon request and accept credit and debit cards as payments in accordance with Gastonia municipal laws.

Neighbors claimed Cole only let them pay in cash.

Gastonia rules also state that towing signs must list the address of the towing lot and maximum towing rates.

The Affliction Towing sign outside the mobile home community does not comply with these rules, according to the outlet.

“I felt defeated, I felt cheated, it sucked,” Vargas told the publication.

Neighbors in the Gastonia community contacted property management about the tow situation.

“The towing company, despite what has been established, does not directly interfere with what we contractually provide services to you… We also inform you that the towing company is its own entity, it sets its rates in accordance with what the law legally allows,”, reads, in part, the manager’s email response to residents on June 4, 2024.

However, on June 5, WCNC-TV began investigating the towing issue and Gastonia Police made inquiries in the neighborhood.

What to do if your car is towed

Unfairly or not, recovering a towed vehicle can be a hassle.

If your vehicle is towed after parking in a “No Parking” zone or other legitimate reason, there are some steps you can take to get it back.

Steps to follow when your car is towed:

• Try to find out why your car was towed. Haven’t you seen a “No Parking” sign? Did you miss your car payment? Have you returned to a lot where there were unpaid citations? Finding the reason may narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
• Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some type of contact information via a posted or mailed sign.
• Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but these times will be posted on the website or may be provided by a representative.
• Pay the fees. Be careful to be as quick as possible, as some towing yards may charge daily storage fees.

If you believe your vehicle was improperly towed, you can dispute the action by following these steps:

• Be quick – many states have a small window of time in which it is acceptable to file a claim against a company that improperly towed your vehicle.
• Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements, if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
• Familiarize yourself with local laws, as laws for towing companies vary by state.
• Try talking to the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight and the matter can be resolved quickly.
• Contact your local Justice of the Peace as they may have more information or resources to help. They are often used for towing cases.
• Speak to a lawyer. Many lawyers offer free consultations and, depending on the case, it may be worth calling on a lawyer.

Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak law firm

Gastonia Police are investigating predatory towing in the North Carolina city.

According to WCNC-TV, on the afternoon of June 5, the community’s property management terminated its contract with Affliction Towing.

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