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When you agree to a tow at the roadside, the most important question is not just the price, but the destination. Where your car is taken determines who has control, what fees you will be liable for, and how quickly you will get it back. Predatory tow operators in Western Australia understand this better than anyone.
The Default Destination for a Scam is a Holding Yard
If you do not specify a destination, a predatory operator will always take your vehicle to their own private holding yard. This is not a neutral location. It is the centre of their business model. It is a secure compound where they can legally hold your vehicle while they charge you daily storage fees.
They will give you vague justifications for this, such as:
- “It needs to be taken for assessment.”
- “We have to store it securely overnight.”
- “This is our standard procedure.”
These are excuses. The real reason is to get your car onto their turf, where they make the rules.
Once It’s in Their Yard, You’ve Lost Leverage
The moment your car passes through their gates, the power dynamic shifts entirely. They can now:
- Charge Daily Storage Fees: Typically $35-$75 per day, which adds up fast.
- Deny Access: They can make it difficult for you or your insurance assessor to inspect the vehicle.
- Demand Full Payment for Release: They can legally refuse to release the car until their entire invoice (including all towing and storage fees) is paid in full.
- Create Delays: They have no incentive to resolve billing disputes with your insurer quickly. The longer the car stays, the more they get paid.
Your car has become a bargaining chip in their negotiation with your insurance company, and you are the one who will pay the price.
The Right Destinations: The Places You Control
To avoid this trap, you must always be the one to name the destination. The only safe places for your car to go are places you control or have approved:
- Your Home Address: If the car is safe to be left there.
- Your Trusted Mechanic: They can deal with the vehicle on your behalf.
- Your Insurer’s Approved Repairer or Assessment Centre: Your insurer will tell you where this is.
A legitimate tow operator will take your car to any of these locations without argument.
The Critical Instruction You Must Give
Before you agree to anything, you must state your destination clearly.
“My car is to be towed directly to [Your Chosen Address]. It is not to be taken to a holding yard.”
If the operator hesitates, argues, or refuses, you are dealing with a scammer. Cancel the service and call someone else.
With InstaTow, you enter the destination in the app before you book. You are in control from the start. That is the only way to guarantee your car ends up where it belongs.
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