New Illinois law aims to crack down on rogue tow truck operators
A new law will begin targeting rogue tow truck companies in Illinois, starting Jan. 1, 2026, seeking to stop tow companies from rebranding under a new name if they're proven to have predatory practices.
CBS News Chicago has repeatedly reported on incidents of tow trucks hauling away cars after wrecks, and then holding vehicles hostage, charging the owners exorbitant fees to get them back.
Tommy Caruso said, had this law been in place before, his car might not have been taken.
Caruso moved to Chicago about a month ago. He called his experience Chicago baptism by fire.
"I definitely did not foresee my car disappearing so quickly," he said.
After getting into an accident, Caruso said Hook and Go Towing showed up within minutes.
"Gave me a paper that had the official Illinois [Commerce Commission Police] logo, and I was like, 'Yeah that would be a stretch to fabricate,'" he said.
His receipt appears to show a $9,300 charge to tow and store his Prius. He said he couldn't find his car or reach the company. Days went by.
The address on the receipt – 330 N. Cicero – "honestly just seemed kind of like a bogus in-middle-of-the-road address," Caruso said.
CBS News Chicago checked the address on the receipt, and didn't see any signs for the company at that location.
A search of Illinois Secretary of State license records found multiple registered names for the company. That same name reveals companies named "Hook and Go Towing, Inc.," "Roussi Trans 1 Inc.," and "Tow Wings, Inc.," all with the same listed owner.
A new law which kicks on Jan. 1 aims to stop tow companies from rebranding if they're proven to have rogue business practices.
Known violators would no longer be allowed to register again with a new business name, and rogue tow operators would be banned from receiving a new license for at least three years.
The law also would allow the Illinois Secretary of State's Office to impound unregistered tow trucks and suspend tow truck registrations for unpaid Illinois Commerce Commission fines. Tow operators must register their business and storage locations, and licenses will be issued to individuals instead of just companies, which legislators said will make it harder for rogue drivers to re-register after violations.
The law prohibits tow truck operators from monitoring police scanners, and they are also forbidden from placing liens on personal items left in towed vehicles.
The new law could provide welcome relief to victims of predatory towing.
"There's already so much to fear when driving on the road and in an accident, and the fact that you might also have to watch out for people trying to hustle you when you're already down a broken leg or something … shouldn't be a concern on anybody's mind," Caruso said.
Caruso's insurance company ultimately paid the bill from his accident, although his car was total loss.
He was provided multiple phone numbers while he was trying to retrieve his car from Hook Go Towing.
CBS News Chicago contacted all of those numbers, but no one who answered wanted to comment.