A woman is drawing attention online to the so-called “tow truck scam,” which she nearly fell for recently after someone sideswiped her car.
Zoë Montana Hoetzel, better known as Zolita, posted the video on her TikTok account to warn about the scam. According to her, it all started when someone hit the side of her car in a Whole Foods parking lot.
After the collision, she was stunned by the situation. That’s when two tow trucks appeared out of nowhere to “help.” One of the drivers was wearing a jacket from the American Automobile Association (AAA), which made her believe everything was legitimate.
“They were really good at making me trust them,” she recalled. Zolita emphasized that she hadn’t called the tow trucks, but the driver explained he was already “in the area,” which seemed very convenient, if you think about it.
When Zolita called her insurance company to check, an agent, without much urgency, told her to go with the drivers and settle the claim later. “Terrible advice, insurance lady,” she said.
The drivers offered to tow her car to their lot for repairs, but something about the situation felt off. Zolita explained that her “sixth sense” warned her, so she called her best friend for backup.
When her friend arrived, they followed the tow truck to ensure the car would be taken to a legitimate repair shop. It wasn’t. Zolita said the truck drove for half an hour to a “weird, unmarked lot,” with no sign of a real business.
The company had a well-designed website and Google reviews, but a user suggested checking Yelp. That’s where she found several reports from other victims describing nearly identical scams involving fake towers and exorbitant “storage fees.”
“My friend literally turned the car around,” Zolita recounted, describing how she ran to her car, jumped in, and drove off, pretending her insurance had told her to find another place.
When she reached a Starbucks parking lot, she called her insurer again. That’s when a legitimate AAA employee arrived. When Zolita explained what had happened, he confirmed she had almost fallen victim to a scam.
The “tow truck scam,” the AAA employee explained, occurs when tow drivers, listening to police radio, rush to an accident scene and arrive before anyone else.
Often, they impersonate insurance company or roadside assistance staff, but they are not. They hook up your car, take it to a shop that pays a commission, and make you accumulate exorbitant fees while you try to figure out where your vehicle went.
“If you’re in an accident, don’t [accept a tow truck] without requesting one first,” Zolita warned in the video, which has already garnered over 120,000 views and hundreds of shocked comments.
“Men always find a way to make things worse for women going through a hard time,” one TikTok user commented. “This happened to me! They charged the at-fault party’s insurance about $20,000 in fake fees,” another shared.
“I’m so grateful your friend showed up,” commented a third user. “Scams are exhausting, and this was worse because you were so vulnerable and shaken,” lamented another.
Photo and video: TikTok @zolita. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
@zolita Don’t make the mistake I did :’) #caraccident ♬ original sound – Zolita
