Complaint Review: United Tows - Dallas Texas

I was a patron at mcdonalds and made a purchase at 12:22PM on july 19th 2019 (have receipt to prove it). I sat in the vehicle eating the food that i purchased from the mcdonalds for about 20 minutes then left the lot to patron nearby businesses after having made the purchase at the mcdonalds for under an hour from the time of the tow.

I found my car was towed less than an hour later at 1:12PM on july 19th 2019 (this is the MVR Date - the tow date was late dated to read 1:22PM, conveniently exactly one hour after my purchase).  The sign posted only requires you to be a patron which i do believe gives the owner the right to tow after 1 hour.  I called the Mcdonalds and was informed by a manager that the towing company has a security person who watches the parking lot cameras all hours of the day looking for individuals to leave the lot. 

That person, who the manager said worked for or represented the towing company as a tipster, then calls the towing company to tow the vehicle as quickly as possible.  Despite people having been patrons at the restaurant within the hour. I was also told by the manager when i asked to speak with the owner of the location (the authorizing party of the tow - though i dont believe they authorize the tows at all, rather they have an agreement similar to the Detroit Breakthrough towing scam where they closely watch for people briefly leaving the property and quickly tow at the call of a tipster watching the cameras) about the tow that she could not give me his number for fear of being fired.

After paying ~$13 for an uber and arriving at the impound lot (I went straight there after being towed) i was greeted by a cracked bulletproof window outside in the heat that i could not see through, a broken atm, broken speakers causing an inability to hear the clerk, a refusal to take the only form of payment i had (american express credit card), a refusal to work with me in any way to sort out payment, and a very hostile attitude despite me being polite. 

I had my girlfriend drive out to meet me (which meant i stood out in the 100+ degree heat and sun waiting because they could not accept anything reasonable) and she offered her visa, which she said they accept.   We were then told that since the card was under her name not mine they would need the cars registration, despite her being right there with her ID offering payment.  Thankfully she found cash in her car to make the payment.

At this point the payment of 162.65 is paid and processed (including an impoundment fee which is marked as being assessed due to inventory/registration) and i am told to go through the gate and get my car.  I politely ask if she knows where in the large lot it is to which she responds rudely that "she has no clue" and i should just "go find it".   Arriving at my vehicle i found that there were two scratches in the front bumper that were not there previously and that the car was incredibly dusty and dirty.

In all, i hope that this case gets taken up and that I can get reimbursed for the fees i paid and the valuable time of mine that was lost dealing with this fraudulent tow and poor service.  I have all the documentation needed, the receipt from the purchase and from the tow, and am willing to testify.