Update: 2.22.17: I've filed complaints against this company with two agencies:
1. The better business bureau which lacks authority but has the power to get the word out - Their current grade on the BBB website is "F" (the absolute lowest) with a highest possible grade being "AAA".
2, The Maryland Consumer Affairs Agency: They wrote me that this company is "very difficult to work with" and the guy added "as you've already learned" which made me laugh. He wrote that he had sent three letters to this co. and they, typically had not answered my complaints. Still waiting to see if an when something will happen. Its apparent that the company is viewed as malicious and crudely managed by local professional agencies. Why they are still in business is a mystery to me. The following story is what happened to me and my vehicle at their hands - it sounds outrageous and it is - but I get the definite sense that to the trashy employees here, mine was just an average transaction.
A photo of this company's lousy location should be under the word "scummy" in the encyclopedia. They are used to dealing with angry people whose vehicles have been towed, often for no discernible or legitimate reason. They know they are hateful, one would think they would go out of their way to be somewhat civil. Instead they seem to take warped pleasure in being insolent, offensive and vicious with the people who are forced to pay for the privilege of retrieving their vehicles.
When I arrived to pick up my vehicle a surly woman inside the office behind the bulletproof glass refused to speak up despite the fact that it was pouring down raining and the noise on the tin roof of the landing was deafening. I do not know what she was attempting to communicate so I simply handed her my MasterCard.
After I asked the woman to speak up she became irate took my credit card for a few minutes, shutting the narrow slat in the double glass that protects her from people whose irritation she arouses. A few minutes later, she opened the slat and said incredibly, "fuck you" (apparently without having processed my payment,) because before handing her the card. I said "This is America" meaning "you cant keep me from retrieving my car.") Then the woman flung my credit card out (it landed on the wet metal landing) and said "I was born here"! I said "I don't care where you were born " . My hand was still in the window as she slammed it shut cutting and bruising the top of my left hand. My sister and I were left out in the pouring rain (January). My hand was bleeding profusely and in excruciating pain. I attempted to call the leasing office of the apartment complex that contracted Authorized Towing for help as obviously she had no intention of allowing me to retrieve my car.
While I was on the phone talking to the leasing office, the police arrived, saw me and my sister standing on the metal platform in the downpour and asked me what was happening? I gave a brief explanation and one of the officers said "they (Authorized Towing) called us"; Then after giving me about 1 minute of their time, and since it was cold and raining, they went in to the trailer-like (except for its tight security and forbidding barriers-to-access) building to get out of the weather; ultimately, no one was found at fault by the police, who did not take my report even though I stated that I wanted to file one against the company and the irrationally hostile window-slamming woman. The officer merely replied from behind the bulletproof glass "okay" but the two officers did not emerge from the building after I paid $144 and a man again from behind the glass allowed me access to the vehicle by vaguely pointing to an unlocked gate about twenty yards up the street. Nor did the cops so much as offer me a band-aid through the bulletproof window although one of them did ask to see the hand which I dutifully displayed (see photos).
a video recorder is apparently trained on the landing because one of the cops inside said through the slat in the window: "well you said something "insulting" (as though insults are a crime at least justifying assault) to (the surly, foul mouthed woman). He was referring to my comment that "this is America". Apparently the woman indicated to the cops that she took it as a racial slur. I told the cop "yes, I made a comment, as in "this is america- you can't just keep my vehicle" and that shut him up (though he said nothing about the woman flinging my card out the slat saying "fuck you" and assaulting me in lieu of doing her purported job. I would guess that the cops either utilize this company for towing services at a reduced rate or there is some other (monetary kick back? towing referrals? "look the other way policy"?) symbiotic connection going on between the two.
Depressingly base company owned and operated by cutthroat people - blatantly hostile as they steal your money without bothering to make any excuses or even act like human beings. read more