MOBILE, Ala. — Several wrecker companies operating in Mobile are under criminal investigation following allegations that they overcharged customers, billed for services they never performed, or otherwise gouged motorists, city officials announced in June 2019.
The inquiry came to light during a City Council review of proposed changes to the city ordinance governing towing operations. Public Safety Director James Barber asked the council to table the revised ordinance after police uncovered evidence that some companies had been operating well outside the existing rules.
How the investigation surfaced
Barber told council members that the problems emerged while officials were reworking the towing rules in response to complaints from within the industry itself. Wrecker operators had come forward to object to provisions of the proposed ordinance, and in sorting through those objections, the city began hearing about competitors’ billing practices.
Investigators reviewed reports of excessive charges, fees for services never rendered, and other inappropriate billing. Barber said the review substantiated enough of the allegations to support potential criminal charges for fraud or violations of the Alabama Consumer Protection Act.
Mobile police are working with the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office on the case. Barber stressed that not every towing company in the city is implicated — several, not all, are under investigation.
The ordinance revision was shelved until the criminal investigation wraps up. Barber said the city intends to bring forward a rewritten ordinance afterward that offers stronger protection for consumers who need a tow.