Pittsburgh Towing Company Inflated Costs, Overcharged Car Owners: AG

PITTSBURGH, PA — The owner of a Pittsburgh towing company is facing charges after state prosecutors said he deceived customers by inflating costs and charged 27 car owners nearly $300,000 for services.

Vincent G. Fannick, 56, was charged Thursday with numerous felonies and misdemeanors, including 27 counts each of insurance fraud, theft by deception, theft by unlawful taking, and securing execution of documents by deception, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced.

According to prosecutors, investigators uncovered a pattern of charges where Fannick billed customers' insurance company "exorbitant" two costs by not initially revealing prices on invoices. He then charged "accident services" fees that collectively cost customers more than $100,000, prosecutors said.

In all, the 27 victims were charged nearly $300,000, prosecutors said.

Investigators learned of the crimes in last year when a customer reported that their insurance company was charged $11,390 by Vince’s Towing for a short-trip tow the vehicle owner did not request. Of that total, $4,250 was designated as an "accident services" fee, prosecutors said.

"(Fannick) allegedly preyed on consumers already in stressful situations, first by hiding costs when asking for invoice signatures, then by inflating prices for short tow jobs," Henry said in a statement. “Predatory, deceptive business practices will not be tolerated in the Commonwealth, and business owners who harm consumers to line their pockets will be held accountable."

He was arraigned and bail was set at $25,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 3.