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Business Profile

Towing Company

Auto Return

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

Find BBB Accredited Businesses in Towing Company.

Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Auto Return's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

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Auto Return has 2 locations, listed below.

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    • Auto Return

      450 7th St San Francisco, CA 94103-4532

    • Auto Return

      375 Alabama St Ste 300 San Francisco, CA 94110-7332

    Customer Complaints Summary

    • 7 total complaints in the last 3 years.
    • 4 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

    If you've experienced an issue

    Submit a Complaint

    The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

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    Complaint status

    Complaint type

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:09/13/2024

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      UnansweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      the sf impound lot san francisco ca towed my car 7/10/24 still there for reg exp,I got it done in a timely fashion before 30 days..they got my car no wavier,could of paid before 30 days but they played games gave me runaround,back forth,funds kept add up ...the wavier they said I had I never had ,copy of it and names not mine...also they told me get some to buy the car ,person with no wavier with and did 6mounth data entry with clean drivers record ,I did that before 30 days still trying to get more money from her ******* she cant get wavier in the proper way when she gets the car the wavier is granted than but there trying to put it in the middle so it can be fees before that and after ...wavier takes off 30 day all fees free one time per person or car they change it to make the homeless lowincome people confused...not fair.i paid for my reg and incerence.everythings paid for my car.$600 all together,and they wont me to pay more they caused,and wont to keep my car..i just started to get on my feet with job..
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:08/19/2024

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      UnansweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      7/10/2024 i was towed by auto return san francisco ca for reg exp..i called to lrt them know im owner..went to dmv to get reg renewed,did that the prosseses was not easy,but i got it done within 30 days..im in the homeless program in ************************** ca ,so im in titled to a wavier for my car to be taken out for free one time per car.i asked for that wavier.that means im intittled to get one for mny car now,bmw 325i 2002...i was in the ** after i brought the car 10/7/23.two mounth after i was in recovery..so i wasnt awaire of any fees at time..Anyways the wavier they said i had was from an old car back in 2020 that i dont recall and i know i didnt get,for one i dont know what they auto return is talking about..they couldent show me what they were talking about,morew days passed by still was upset about my car being in there cant get my wavier im intittled to ,everything is up to date by thjis time everytrhing is confuesing like they wont it to be...i finlly ask an enployed person there can i see a copy of the wavier and what i see is the tow copy that has the reason of tow who got towed,and why,dates,who let it leave there lot and how much,everything but my name my id number/ the car was almost the same this is the wavier under my name in there data base said i did because the old car i had got stole,and the person i dont even know at all never **** of ,got out of jail.got my wavier homeless wavior,in there name,showed my reg drivers lis,how all this happen without me there/me not giving promission,to the police,are auto return,and the person still gets the car out and drives away.i didnt know about this until now and this matter happened in 2020.wow...im very upset really,this mess is adding up..not cool..very upset at time.its been 28 days auto return is not trying to give car back just wont money.they still peoples cars...so i went back to dmv like auto return said to get a nother person on my reg title papers and i did its the weekend now dmv is close
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:08/15/2024

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      UnansweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      My car was towed by SFPD and was on a 30.day hold. The car was released on April ******* at 8:02 am it was towed to auto return on 4/25/2023 at 11:32 am and was sold for $5,000. They never SENT ME A NOTICE TO MY ADDRESS WHICH THEY HAVE ON FILE.Also they only sell cars on Wednesdays and the information it was sold on Thursday..PLEASE CAN YOU HELP ME THIS HAS CAUSED ME GREAT HARDSHIP I AM 61 YEARS OLD AND NOT IN GOOD HEALTH. ITS HARD TO GET AROUND BUY GROCERIES AND DO LAUNDRY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER. ALSO THEY NEVER SENT ME A NOTICE. THEY HAVE A REPUTATION FOR BAD BUSINESS PRACTICES. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT WHAT THEY SOLD MY CAR FOR. THANK YOU. I have photos from their website confirming what I say is true.
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/29/2024

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      UnansweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      My vehicle was damaged and would like to receive videos of my tow
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:12/06/2023

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      UnansweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Auto return helped ********** bureau of transportation (the abandon auto program) tow my truck that was not in violation. They steal my truck then charge me inflated tow fees, and then hide the information about my vehicle.

      Customer Answer

      Date: 12/05/2023

      Attached is invoice from autoreturn (Aries Impound) and yes, ************* is who I interacted with as I had to retrieve my dog from the truck they towed. I have a bbb complaint with or on speeds as well as one on auto return which should be changed to Aries Impound. The case #s are as follows  

      Autoreturn 20952892

      And speeds is  20937035

      Sorry for the confusion. I filed for a tow hearing with the **************** to waive their fees and they entered that invoice as evidence. 

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:09/28/2022

      Type:Order Issues
      Status:
      AnsweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      My car was towed to autoreturn after an accident in ************ (9/22). The car was deemed totaled by the insurance company. While at autoreturn my radio, amplifier, cologne, sunglasses and computer were stolen from the car. I lost money on my car insurance claim, because the adjustor assumed there was no radio in the car, from the beginning,.

      Business Response

      Date: 10/14/2022

      We have reviewed the complaint from Mr. ******* DAY, and we have found the issue with us to not be valid based on the location of the vehicle at the time the items were discovered missing.  The vehicle was in our possession for a little over 24 hours, but during that time the complainant never accessed the vehicle.  He accessed the vehicle only after the insurance company had sent a third-party tow truck to remove the vehicle, and only after that vehicle was removed and taken to COPART, whom the insurance company had hired to auction this vehicle off.  Mr. *** didn't have the opportunity to retrieve his possessions until after COPART had cleaned the car out for auction.  It is likely that was the location his items went missing, and specifically because it is their procedures to clean out vehicles after they take possession.  As the items were not discovered missing until after two other companies had possession of this vehicle, we cannot be certain where these items came up missing.  Again however, we would surmise that the items were likely removed from the vehicle as a part of the auction house (COPART) standard operating procedure of cleaning vehicles and removing personal property as they get it ready for sale.   This has been recently shared with Mr. *** in our offices, and he seemed to accept the explanation at the time.  It is likely that conversation happened after this complaint was filed, so we are hopeful the issue is closed.  If not, we would be happy to discuss this further with Mr. *** at our ************ offices.

       

      Regards,

      *********************************

      CEO - TEGSCO, LLC

       

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/30/2022

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      UnansweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      On 12/07/21 my brother *********************** died in his apartment. He was parked on the street and received multiple tickets and then got his vehicle towed. I live in *****, he lived in San Francisco. I found out about his death on 12/30/21.I had covid on 1/18/21 I received notice that ******* car had been towed during my bout with covid. I also did not have a job or money to pay the fees they were charging my deceased brother to pay the impound.I have spoken at length with the city and the police. Autoreturn seems to be the only one in control of removing the charges. They will say it's the city and the city will say it's the. I am tired of the runaround and I Don't think it's fair to charge the family of a deceased loved one for parking charges incurred while the dead person could not get up to move the car. It's ***** and disgusting. Just release the car. It's now racked up $7000 in fees.

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