L.A. Woman's Whole Foods Accident: Impersonators Pretend to be AAA

After narrowly avoiding falling victim to a predatory towing scam known as a "bandit tow," Los Angeles musician Zolita (also known as Zoë Montana Hoetzel) shared her story in a viral TikTok video, alerting others to the deceptive practice. Zolita recounted how, following an accident where she was t-boned in a Whole Foods parking lot, two tow trucks arrived at the scene unexpectedly, with one driver even posing as affiliated with AAA. Despite not having summoned a tow, she was persuaded by the seemingly trustworthy appearance of the drivers. However, her intuition kicked in, prompting her to seek her friend's assistance in ensuring her car was taken to a legitimate repair facility. Her suspicions were validated when she discovered the supposed repair shop was an unmarked lot with no evidence of a legitimate business. It was later confirmed by a genuine AAA employee that she had narrowly sidestepped a scam orchestrated by bandit towers. These opportunistic tow truck operators prey on accident scenes, falsely posing as insurance representatives or roadside assistance providers to seize drivers' vehicles and levy exorbitant fees. Zolita's cautionary tale resonated with many viewers who shared their own alarming encounters with similar fraudulent schemes. Los Angeles authorities advise drivers to remain vigilant, contact law enforcement and their insurance companies in the event of a crash, and refrain from handing over their vehicles to unrequested tow operators.