More motorists falling victim to dodgy roadside assistance providers
Motorists stranded on the side of the road with a breakdown are increasingly falling victim to dodgy roadside assistance providers, the Association of Recovery and Mobility Specialists (VBM) told BNR. The association is receiving more and more reports, especially on hot days when the Rijkswaterstaat activates its heat protocol and has stranded vehicles moved to a safe location free of charge.
People whose car breaks down typically do a quick Google search to find out who to call. The search yields dozens of roadside assistance providers. “For a motorist who unexpectedly breaks down, it is hardly possible to judge which party is reliable and which is not,” said Sander Vlaar, director of Bergnet and vice-chairman of the VBM. “People are in a stressful situation and want to be helped quickly.”
According to Vlaar, the increasing number of “roadside assistance cowboys” all work on a fixed pattern. After the initial call, the stranded motorist must make a payment immediately, usually via Tikkie. Only after that payment is received is assistance arranged. At the location, more charges almost always arise. Drivers have to pay hundreds of euros before the vehicle is actually towed away.
These fraudulent providers are very hard to tackle, Vlaar said. Many of these parties operate as intermediaries and do not possess their own assistance capacity, which means that they operate in a legal grey area. They don’t fall under specific regulators, and therefore often remain off the radar.
According to the VBM, the Rijkswaterstaat is unintentionally providing room for these types of practices. Recovery services increasingly report that when they spot a breakdown and report it to the Rijkswaterstaat, the agency instructs them to wait and see if the driver can find a solution themselves. This encourages the online search for help, the agency said.
Malicious parties also take advantage of the confusion caused by the Rijkswaterstaat’s heat protocol, activated when temperatures top 30 degrees. Then, vehicles stranded on highways are moved to a safe location free of charge by a contracted recovery service. In practice, many people don’t know what the assistance entails and which costs are covered and which are not.
VBM urges motorists to arrange for roadside assistance through their insurer, leasing company, or roadside assistance subscription, instead of just calling the first number they find on Google. Also, be wary of providers who demand payment in advance or communicate exclusively via mobile numbers and WhatsApp.
