DENVER — Consumers eligible to get money back from Wyatts Towing as part of a settlement between the company and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office will receive checks soon, the attorney general announced on Thursday.
More than 5,000 consumers identified by Wyatts Towing records are eligible to receive checks.
In December 2023, Weiser’s office announced a $1 million settlement with Wyatts Towing after a months-long investigation found that the company had engaged in deceptive business practices, illegally collected money and violated the state’s Towing Bill of Rights, which prohibits tow truck drivers from approving tows.
Watch out coverage on the December 20203 announcement below.
Of that $1 million in the settlement, $764,000 was earmarked for restitution payments to consumers.
Customers who had to pay for a notification fee will receive between $75-$150, while others who were towed without a proper permit to authorize the tow will get $164.
"Getting people back money that was unlawfully charged to them is one of the most important responsibilities we have here at the Attorney General's Office. We need all companies to know if you act irresponsibly, we're going to come after you, and we want consumers to know that if you're the subject of abusive practices, please let us know about it so we can make it right," Attorney General Phil Weiser told Denver7 Investigates on Thursday. "We set up a system that we have confidence in. We're letting consumers know these checks are coming. And if you're one of those consumers, please be careful and pay attention."
Last year, Denver7 Investigates extensively looked into Wyatts Towing’s business practices and exposed a complicated web of companies linked to the same ownership and locations as Wyatts Towing that were involved in multiple aspects of the car-towing process.
Zach Neumann, cofounder of the Community Economic Defense Project, a consumer advocacy group, said this is great news for Colorado consumers and a strong message to Wyatts Towing.
"I think it's a good amount of money for people to get back," he said. "I also think it's important to recognize that, in aggregate, this was a lot of money for Wyatts to have to pay. It forced them to reckon with their business practices."
More information about the checks is available at coag.gov/wyatts.
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- New Colorado bill would 'upend the towing industry,' lawmaker says (Jan. 30, 2024)
