Thousands of Coloradans to receive restitution checks from Wyatts Towing in coming days

Thousands of Coloradans will receive restitution checks from Wyatts Towing in the coming days, part of a $1 million settlement agreement the towing giant reached with the Colorado Attorney General’s Office last year.

More than 5,000 eligible consumers have been identified based on Wyatts Towing records, the AG’s office said in a news release Thursday. No action needs to be taken by the individuals to receive their checks.

“Though these checks are not enough to make everyone whole who Wyatts harmed, the restitution we were able to secure is relief for those who were forced to pay illegally collected fees, incurred illegal debt or endured the hassle of having their vehicle unlawfully towed,” Attorney General Phil Weiser said in a statement.

A yearlong investigation by the attorney general, announced in December 2023, found Wyatts Towing hauled away thousands of vehicles without proper authorization, illegally kept consumer funds and engaged in “deceptive and unfair business practices” to discourage drivers from exercising their rights.

Between 2020 and 2023, Wyatts and its sister companies repeatedly towed vehicles when they had no valid permits, state investigators found. The company also instituted practices — such as driving up storage fees on more expensive cars — to keep more funds from vehicle sales and lower the amount it returned to consumers or the state, investigators found.

Wyatts, as part of the settlement, denied any wrongdoing. The company attributed the attorney general’s findings to “administrative errors and issues that had already been addressed by the company’s regulators at the PUC.”

The company agreed to pay $1 million — three-quarters of which would be returned to consumers and used in future attorney general investigations. Wyatts also agreed not to collect $236,000 in outstanding debt it holds from consumers.

“Thanks to the settlement we reached with Wyatts Towing, consumers who were harmed by the company’s illegal towing practices will soon get some money back in their pockets,” Weiser said. “If you are an eligible consumer and receive a check, my message to you is that it is genuine, and you should cash it as soon as possible.”

Some consumers may receive two checks, with the second one expected in January. Information and frequently asked questions can be found at coag.gov/wyatts.

Colorado lawmakers in recent years have repeatedly accused Wyatts of circumventing state towing laws. Legislators have written multiple bills aimed at curbing what they call predatory towing practices — naming Wyatts as a serial violator.

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