Pennsylvania tow truck operator charged with inflating tow costs
ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) – A Pennsylvania tow truck operator is facing charges for allegedly inflating tow costs by allegedly charging “accident services” fees and other deceptive practices.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office says Vincent Fannick was charged with more than 100 felonies and misdemeanors, including 27 counts each of insurance fraud, theft by deception, theft by unlawful taking, and securing execution of documents by deception.
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During an investigation alongside the Allegheny County Police Department, the Attorney General’s office says Fannick allegedly charged customer’s insurance companies with “exorbitant tow costs by, initially, not revealing prices on invoices, then charging ‘accident services’ fees” for his service.
Additional fees cost 27 people more than $100,000. One customer reported being charged $11,390 by Vince’s Towing for a short tow trip they didn’t request. Of that total, the Attorney General’s office says the customer was charged $4,250 as an accident services fee.
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The Attorney General’s office says vehicle owners’ insurance companies were charged between $9,460 and $13,105 for single, short-trip tows. In one case, a customer was charged $9,805 for towing a vehicle one-third of a mile.
“This defendant allegedly preyed on consumers already in stressful situations, first by hiding costs when asking for invoice signatures, then by inflating prices for short tow jobs,” Attorney General Michelle Henry said. “Predatory, deceptive business practices will not be tolerated in the Commonwealth, and business owners who harm consumers to line their pockets will be held accountable.”
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Fannick was arraigned and bail was set at $25,000 with a preliminary hearing set for May 3.
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