California Warns of Tow Truck Scams Targeting Accident Victims
LOS ANGELES – The California Department of Insurance is alerting drivers about a rise in fraudulent schemes involving tow truck companies throughout Southern California. Officials have reported that scammers are preying on car accident victims by holding their vehicles hostage and demanding payment.
An investigation conducted by the Inland Empire Automobile Insurance Fraud Task Force has led to charges against 16 individuals implicated in an extensive auto insurance fraud ring.
The Scam Unfolds
According to investigators, the fraud ring allegedly orchestrated fraudulent insurance claims, illicitly collecting over $216,932. Their methods included holding vehicles hostage and staging collusive collisions. Authorities have also noted that a tow truck often appears swiftly after an accident, offering to tow the vehicle to a body shop. Once there, the shop demands a substantial payment, not covered by insurance, before releasing the vehicle.
Uncovering the Scheme
The investigation began in November 2022 after authorities discovered a California Highway Patrol employee, Rosa Isela Santistevan, 56, of Irvine, was unlawfully selling traffic collision report face pages. This revelation led to the identification of the fraud ring, which involved numerous entities and individuals throughout Southern California. Search warrants yielded additional evidence indicating the ring’s engagement in other types of insurance fraud, including staged collisions.
How the Fraud Ring Operates
The fraud ring’s activities included stealing vehicles under false pretenses and delivering them to a body shop in San Bernardino County. Law enforcement seized over 3,500 CHP traffic collision report face pages from the residence of Esmeralda Parga, 27, of Pomona. Authorities determined that Parga was connected to Santistevan through the ring’s leader, Andre Angelo Reyes, 37, of Corona.
“The conspiracy began after Reyes befriended Santistevan and other CHP employees by donating to various CHP events and parties. Santistevan printed and unlawfully sold thousands of traffic collision face pages to Reyes who would then provide the reports to E. Parga. E. Parga would then contact the parties involved in the collision, pretending to be from their insurance company and coordinate having their vehicle towed to a repair center that they misrepresented as approved by the insurance company,” officials said.
What to Watch Out For
Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara stated, “This type of scam is preying on drivers at their most vulnerable moments—immediately after an accident—when they should be focused on their safety and next steps, not fighting to get their vehicle back.”
Authorities have issued the following warnings:
- A tow truck arrives within minutes of an accident, potentially before you’ve contacted anyone.
- The tow truck driver specifies which body shop your car will be taken to, rather than collaborating with you on your preferred destination.
- The tow truck driver tells you someone will contact you or requests that you sign documents.
- The tow truck driver offers to arrange a rideshare for you.
Tips for Staying Safe
Drivers are urged to take these precautions:
- Verify tow trucks with your insurance provider or wait for CHP verification.
- Refrain from signing any documents until consulting your insurance company.
For further information or to report suspected fraud, contact the California Department of Insurance at 800-927-4357 or visit insurance.ca.gov.
Next Steps
The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting this case, and further legal actions are anticipated. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities working to dismantle the fraud ring and prevent future scams. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office has also charged Reyes and Diana Villa Pineda, 34, of Corona with tax evasion of $136,408.
Defendants include:
- Andre Angelo Reyes, 37, of Corona
- Diana Pineda Villa, 34, of Corona
- Rosa Isela Santistevan, 56, of Irvine
- Esmeralda Parga, 27, of Pomona
- Anthony Gomez, 36, of Jurupa Valley
- Antonio Terrazas Perez Jr., 20, of Los Angeles
- Israel Avila Sandoval, 46, of Pomona
- Luis Alberto Ramirez Jr., 32, of San Bernardino
- Antonio Ramirez Perez, 45, of Los Angeles
- Brian Anthony Lopez, 25, of Anaheim
- Emily Marie Boatman, 27, of Ontario
- Ricardo Parga Jr., 24, of Pomona
- Steven Anthony Alfaro, 39, of Buena Park
- Henry Castellano, 68, of Whittier
- Elizabeth Gutierrez, 34, of Long Beach
- Steve Allen Higgs, 72, of Corona
Source: California Department of Insurance
