Shannon Newton
President, ATA
Scam narratives are in the zeitgeist. We are drawn to the stories of people who could have been us, who were ripped off and taken advantage of. They are cautionary tales that keep us safe because they remind us to stay alert.
You can’t turn on a podcast or streaming network without finding a dozen accounts of the people who’ve been bamboozled by scam artists. The victims might lose a few hundred dollars in a pyramid scheme or their life savings to an online catfish. The irreplaceable loss for all of us is in our trust.
In the trucking community, we do our best to look out for each other, and when fraudsters prey on the men and women who move America’s freight, we don’t just watch it happen.
Last month, WBTV in North Carolina began reporting on a three-part investigation, “The Wild West of Towing in Charlotte,” about tow business owners facing multiple felony charges. With red yarn, a cork board and somber tones, the reporters presented their findings which included millions of dollars in stolen goods, car chases, kidnappings, drug trafficking and an incredible criminal ring of towing businesses in the area.
Closer to home, and only slightly less sensational, another towing scam has been operating in the Memphis metro area and preying on our members.