California Concertgoers Targeted in Elaborate Towing Scam

Dozens of concertgoers attending Sacramento's Aftershock music festival returned to find their vehicles missing from designated parking areas. Attendees reported that their cars had been towed and directed to an unmarked lot, where they were charged exorbitant fees to retrieve them. In some instances, vehicles were returned with substantial damage, leaving them undrivable.

Bruce Capagli, one of the affected festivalgoers, recounted his experience after parking in a lot on Bercut Drive. Upon returning, his car was gone, and a temporary sign directed him to a phone number. The number led him to an address associated with an auto body shop, but he was ultimately transported by a white Honda Civic to a dirt field in a residential neighborhood to collect his vehicle. There, he was presented with a receipt for $562 from a company identified as J&B Towing.

Capagli questioned the legitimacy of the towing operation, noting the lack of signage at the pickup location and the suspicious nature of the towing vehicle—a Lincoln Navigator pulling another car. The paperwork provided for the tow listed Allied Universal as the requesting party, but the phone number on the affidavit connected to the towing operation. Capagli believes this document was forged, a claim further supported by Allied Universal's statement that they had no towing arrangement for the venue and are not responsible for its parking facilities.

The receipts issued by J&B Towing also raised concerns, as they lacked crucial details such as the vehicle identification number and the times of towing and release. Capagli reported that his car sustained damage rendering it undrivable, and his insurance company is treating the incident as a vehicle theft rather than a tow involving damage.

Other attendees have reported similar experiences, including the same $562 charge and the use of the J&B Towing name on receipts, even for incidents occurring on different days and at other Sacramento locations. When approached by CBS Sacramento, the owner of J&B Towing confirmed the business was legitimate but declined to provide a license number or requested documentation, and refused an interview.

The incidents have prompted questions about the authorization and licensing of towing services operating in large event parking areas and highlight a growing concern for motorists attending public events.