George Smith Towing, Incorporated

On Friday night, March 10, 2023, I parked my car in a parking lot by AMC 7 Broad Street. I am a person that is always looking for signs because I do not want to pay any tickets. There weren't any signs visible about a kiosk so I parked and went into the movie theatre. When I came out, my car was gone. I found the towing sign way up on the side of the building and located my car at George towing. Not only did I get a ticket, but I also had to pay $205 and wait until the next morning to get what belongs to me!
On Saturday morning, March 11, 2023, I paid the fees and was able to retrieve car. Upon walking to my car, I noticed car was backed up against the wall. I did NOT have any damage on my back bumper prior to towing. I took a picture of my car parked against the wall. After removing my car, I saw damage to my car on the same side it was against the wall. I took a picture of the damage.
I called in to report the damage and was told that they take pictures. An email address was provided but I have yet to hear back. It appears George towing do not want to take ownership of damaging car.
I filed a police report on Monday, March 13, 2023.

Illegally towed my car.They showed picture of car blocking driveway.Picture taken at a angle I have pictures showing car was parked legally

My car was towed from a lot May 21, Yes, I was illegally parked thereShould it have gotten towed? YesHere's the problemWhen I called to pick up my car, I was told I needed to wait until 8am the next morning because they needed to go to sleepI called minutes before their closing hoursI expressed that I recently moved to P*** and it was an honest mistakeHis reply was, "Oh wellWait until 8amWelcome to P***"
So I had to walk home instead of picking my car up and driving homeI wasn't surprised when I searched this company and found terrible reviews and an F rating with the Revdex.comI hope people with the right power take all of this into consideration and let people who actually do their jobs the right way continue

My car was towed from a lot May 21, 2015. Yes, I was illegally parked there. Should it have gotten towed? Yes. Here's the problem. When I called to pick up my car, I was told I needed to wait until 8am the next morning because they needed to go to sleep. I called 20 minutes before their closing hours.
I expressed that I recently moved to P[redacted] and it was an honest mistake. His reply was, "Oh well. Wait until 8am. Welcome to P[redacted]"
So I had to walk home instead of picking my car up and driving home.
I wasn't surprised when I searched this company and found terrible reviews and an F rating with the Revdex.com.
I hope people with the right power take all of this into consideration and let people who actually do their jobs the right way continue.

Review: My car was towed illegally from the free parking lot at the [redacted] in [redacted] (see address below) on Wednesday, July 23rd, 2014 at approximately 12:30am by the George Smith Towing Inc. (see contact information below).

When I came back to my car and saw it rigged to be towed, I asked the driver why I was being towed. He pointed across to the other side of the lot to a sign along the gate of the lot which designated those spots along the gate as reserved. The spot that my car was in however, was not along the gate and there was no signage designating the spot as reserved. When I tried to explain this to him he got upset and sped off while I was still standing directly next to his truck, almost knocking me over. I was standing, talking (calmly, not yelling) to him face-to-face as he sat in the driver's seat with the door open and he sped off with the door still open. When my car is being taken away, I feel like I deserve a good explanation which he could not provide. He just got mad and said he was calling the police. I encouraged him to do so (I would have called myself and taken pictures of the spot, but couldn't because he did not allow me even a moment to get my phone and purse from the car) and that's when he peeled off.

I'd like to report this behavior and get any helpful information that I can to bring to the towing company when I attempt to retrieve my vehicle.

Any help would be deeply appreciated.

Regards,

B.W.

(Please e-mail any response, as the tow company took my phone along with my car and various other belongings that are necessary for my everyday life/career)

The [redacted], PA [redacted]

George Smith Towing Inc [redacted], PA [redacted]Desired Settlement: I don't want anything from George Smith Towing Inc aside from what is mine. I just want my car back without having to pay $205, considering that I had done nothing wrong. Oh, and an apology from the extremely rude truck driver who not only left me (a young woman by herself) stranded in a potentially dangerous area at 12:30am but also yelled in my face and almost ran me down with his truck.

Review: On Thurs, August 14, 2014, I found my car missing from a street spot that both I and others have parked before with no issue. I called and confirmed my car was towed by George Smith.

I went to retrieve my car, and was charged $205 (175 tow, 25 storage, 5 tax). Upon inspection of the car before I pulled off the lot, I noticed significant damage on the back bumper. When I reported this to a George Smith worker, he told me to file a police report.

A police report was filed, and a police officer advised me to report this to you (Revdex.com) as well as [redacted]. From this officer and [redacted] towing regulations, I should have been issued a ticket before being towed:

George Smith Towing not only towed and charged me illegally, but they caused damage to my car. I would like reimbursement for both the towing fees and damage.Desired Settlement: I believe George Smith Towing should adhere to the towing regulations set forth by [redacted], as well as be held accountable for any incurred damages to my car.

Review: April 17, 2013

TO: Revdex.com 1880 JFK Boulevard, Suite 1330. Philadelphia, PA 19103, Attorney General Offices, [redacted],George Smith Towing Inc., [redacted]

From: [redacted]

Subject: George Smith Towing Inc, [redacted]

On February 12, 2013, George Smith Towing, Towed my vehicle off the lot of [redacted], located at [redacted]. I believe that George Smith Towing practices unfair practices in towing cars away without a probable cause. I have attached paperwork in reference to these circumstances involving my car being towed.

My Toyota, Yaris 2007, was at that time parked inside the parking lot of the [redacted], supermarket lot in a designated parking space nearest to the pedestrian sidewalk.

Nethertheless, I decided to go and speak to the manager, [redacted] about the matter of towing cars in which he explained that he took no part in the matter. And that his belief is that someone sits watches and waits to spot cars for those who enter the grocery store.

At this time! I am asking that George Smith refunds the 205.00 charged for towing. I am on a fixed income and cannot afford unnecessary expenses of such. Furthermore, in order to get my car out of impound at George Smith Towing, I had to rely on my retirement saving to do so.

Truly

[redacted] PS.. request,Letter, concerning these circumstances were previously forwarded to the Revdex.com in the month of February 2013.Desired Settlement: I am quite sure all thats involved including self, I would like a refund of the cash money given to the representive at George Smith Towing for the towing charges etc.

Review: Yesterday, 1/29/2014 I parked my car at the [redacted] block of [redacted] and have valid pictures to show that. I also parked my car in the same exact parking spot on 1/27/2014 without incident, however; 1/29/2014 my car was towed illegally from that spot. The parking spot clearly avoided the driveway allowing vehicles the option to go in and out of the driveway.

After the shock of arriving to find that my car was towed I called the telephone number on the sign to ask if the George [redacted] Tow group had towed my car and the person who answered the phone at ###-###-#### said that yes, the owner called to have the car removed. I said no one could have called because I am parked in front of a vacant building. I walked around the front and the back of building to see if it was occupied and it was not. So, again I asked who made the call and the person stated the owner. I then told the person on the phone that I would be there shortly.

While waiting for a ride to the George [redacted] Towing Company at [redacted], I called the University [redacted] Police and they arrived at the site to access the situation. I explained that I know that they could not do anything but that I wanted it documented that a complaint about a wrongful tow was placed. There were three officers who arrived, I spoke with all of them but had a more substantial conversation with Officer [redacted]. My argument is that I was not parked illegally and there suggestion was that I may have been parked in a pedestrian crosswalk. I explained I frequently park in the area and I know that is not a crosswalk. The officer mentioned the space I was standing in was “totally clear of the driveway”.

My ride to the tow organization arrived and when I walked to the window, I asked for the person’s name and he did not prove his name. So the unidentified man at the window who was of the Asian decent changed the original story from the owner called to one of the tow personal was patrolling and noticed I was parked in the driveway. I again explained I was not parked in a driveway and that I have pictures to show that. He looked at them and then he gave me a picture my vehicle parked completely in the car space, but he said that my car was not lined up with a pole so I was parked illegally.

I said to him that is asinine, how is a regular citizen supposed to know that there car is supposed to line up with a pole. The story quickly changed from me being parked in a driveway to the reason I was towed is because my car did not line up correctly. When I took the state test for driving that was not one of the things that I required to know for driving/ parking a vehicle, so therefore to me it is an illegal tow. Most people would not take the time to go back and forth but when you are wrong someone has to speak up because then they will take advantage of people.

I can assure you that most people do not know that is the procedure, and I can attest to that because every day there is a vehicle parked there, and they are making money on that fact that people don’t know. What other reason would you have to patrol an empty building?

I made another call the [redacted] Police District and Office [redacted] Badge # [redacted] was dispatched and he said he had a personal like situation where this same organization made an unlawful tow where it was escalated. We disgusted many complaints that the district has had for this company and that how they get away with doing bad business.

Officer [redacted] and partner did go into the establishment and they attempted to call the manager, but he was not able to be reached. One of the staff said he had recently had a new baby so that may be the reason. Unfortunately the officers were not able to help with the release of my car, so I had to pay the fee. The fee was 200, which is in dispute now.Desired Settlement: I would like my money to be returned.

Review: I was having lunch with my son on Saturday and when we came out of the restaurant there was a tow truck in front of our van. It did not have the van hooked up in anyway. The tow truck man was peering into my front windshield at the registration stickers. We quickly ran up and asked what he was doing. He informed us that we were blocking a driveway for dumpsters, which I was partially blocking and hadn't noticed. I said, "no,no,no" to which he yelled, "yes,yes,yes - you can pay the $175 now or we can tow it in and you can get your car back at the lot" it was a George Smith tow truck

He was intimidating and insistent and said it had already been "called in". He made it sound like it was inevitable that it would be towed. I went to the ATM and paid him $175.

I called the police after because I felt like that was wrong but I had no idea what my rights were in the moment. The police told me that I could have gotten into my car and driven away. He had no authority to keep me. At the time, I didn't know about my options and the man was very insistent.

I called George smith and they said he police don't know what they are talking about. They often have to remind the police about the ordinances. They said they called badge 420 and cleared the car.

I want others to know their rights, and I also want to ask if you can help me get my money back!Desired Settlement: The business has the responsibility to let drivers go if the car has not been hooked up or towed away. They were basically using extortion as a way to get paid. They don't acknowledge that and use intimidating men to get money they don't deserve. They charged me a towing fee but my car was never towed!

Review: THESE PEOPLE Stole my daughters car from a public parking lot, and then made me go pick it up and pay them to get it back. ROBBERY... THEY ARE THIEVES ..... and they left 2 teenager stranded in a parking lot, alone in [redacted] .... FREAKING OUT cause they thought there car was stolen .... I'm SORRY , IT WAS STOLEN, however , these people call it being TOWED .... give me a break .. I want them OUT OF BUSINESS and the city of [redacted] SUED for allowing this to happen ..... FRAUD, THIEVES, HEARTLESS PEOPLE!!!!!!!!Desired Settlement: I TRULY WANT TO SEE THESE PEOPLE PUT OUT OF BUSINESS AND RETURN ALL THE MONEY THEY HAVE STOLEN FROM INNOCENT PEOPLE JUST TO help (LOL) THEIR CITY COLLECT FUNDS .... RIP OFF CENTRAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!