Towed Car Dept

[McNeill642]

My car was towed and I didn't have funds to retrieve it, so it became the property of the towing company. Now a company named LLC is demanding I repay $5000 to them on behalf of the tow company. They have contacted my parents and are threatening to take me to court. My friend says that he's had his car towed and been unable to recover it about a dozen times and never has he gotten any letters trying to collect a debt. Is this normal, is this legal? If it's relevant, I live in Mountain View California and the car was towed off of Walmart's parking lot.

 

[quincy]

My car was towed and I didn't have funds to retrieve it, so it became the property of the towing company. Now a company named LLC is demanding I repay $5000 to them on behalf of the tow company. They have contacted my parents and are threatening to take me to court. My friend says that he's had his car towed and been unable to recover it about a dozen times and never has he gotten any letters trying to collect a debt. Is this normal, is this legal? If it's relevant, I live in Mountain View California and the car was towed off of Walmart's parking lot.

How long ago was the car towed? Is the car titled in your name or in the name of one of your parents?

 

[McNeill642]

It was towed ~ 3 months ago and the title and reg were solely in my name. My parents came with me when I went to the tow yard to get my stuff out but that's the extent of their involvement. My dad offered to buy the car back but the towing company said no, it's ours now and that was it.

 

[AlmostThere]

How much is the car worth?

 

[quincy]

It was towed ~ 3 months ago and the title and reg were solely in my name. My parents came with me when I went to the tow yard to get my stuff out but that's the extent of their involvement. My dad offered to buy the car back but the towing company said no, it's ours now and that was it.

Did you take out a loan to purchase the car? If so, was there a balance owing on the loan at the time of the tow?

How much of the demanded $5000 is from tow fees?

There is no reason for anyone to be contacting your parents unless you are a minor.

 

[AlmostThere]

Did you take out a loan to purchase the car? If so, was there a balance owing on the loan at the time of the tow?

How much of the demanded $5000 is from tow fees?

There is no reason for anyone to be contacting your parents unless you are a minor.

How did they get your parent's contact information? Is the car associated with their address? Are they cosigners on the loan?

 

[McNeill642]

I was living with them when I bought the car so their address is on the reg. They did not cosign for the loan and the car was completely paid off anyhow. It was worth maybe $500. It was old, it wouldn't start and would really only be good for parts. The ppl trying to collect money are telling me to ask my parents for help, ask my friends for help, etc. They are an LLC - Limited Liability Company - and not a collection agency. They say the entire amount they are asking for is owed to the tow company and that they are working on its behalf.

 

[Just Blue]

I was living with them when I bought the car so their address is on the reg. They did not cosign for the loan and the car was completely paid off anyhow. It was worth maybe $500. It was old, it wouldn't start and would really only be good for parts. The ppl trying to collect money are telling me to ask my parents for help, ask my friends for help, etc. They are an LLC - Limited Liability Company - and not a collection agency. They say the entire amount they are asking for is owed to the tow company and that they are working on its behalf.

Sounds like a scam. Did you try googling this company? If so, what did you find?

 

[LdiJ]

I was living with them when I bought the car so their address is on the reg. They did not cosign for the loan and the car was completely paid off anyhow. It was worth maybe $500. It was old, it wouldn't start and would really only be good for parts. The ppl trying to collect money are telling me to ask my parents for help, ask my friends for help, etc. They are an LLC - Limited Liability Company - and not a collection agency. They say the entire amount they are asking for is owed to the tow company and that they are working on its behalf.

Ok, here is what is going on. The tow company was charging storage fees for your car up until the date that they sold the car. When they sell the car the difference between what they got for it (which was likely next to nothing) and the accumulated storage fees, is what they try to go after from you. That is why they are attempting to collect $5000 from you. The LLC that is contacting you IS a collection agency. Anybody who pressures you for money for a "debt" is a collection agency. The high pressure techniques they are using are typical of someone who tries to collect questionable debts.

Your choices are to 1) Consult with a local attorney to see whether or not that kind of debt would be considered to be valid, 2) Make arrangements with the LLC to make payments, or 3) Ignore them. Based on the way that they are acting I personally would not make any payment arrangements without consulting with a local attorney. I also would stop speaking to them for the time being and would tell my family to tell them to stop harassing them.