A FAMILY is grappling with a heavy financial burden, including a $2,000 bill, after their car was impounded just weeks after being returned to them – following a two-year struggle to reclaim it.
The Weatherspoon family, from Eastpointe, Michigan, have been through a bureaucratic nightmare complete with delays and lack of communication that have left them in limbo.
A family has been left deeply frustrated after their car was towed from outside their home – mere weeks after it was returned following a two-year battle[/caption]
The car was taken from Weatherspoon family some two years ago and was only eventually returned in April[/caption]
Now the family fears impound fees – all because it didn’t have a public VIN which caused it to still appear as stolen in official records[/caption]
According to a report FOX2 Detroit, Constance Weatherspoon’s son’s car was stolen from Madison Heights two years prior and was not found until April 2025 – when it was discovered sitting in a Detroit tow yard.
Constance believes the car might have been found earlier, but they were only notified in April.
“What I’m thinking is they found it, but they didn’t call him right away,” Weatherspoon said.
“He bought parts for it because, you know, he planned on fixing it up. You know, getting it back like it was before it was stolen.”
Naturally relieved, the family then retrieved the car and aimed to return it to its original condition, but shortly after its return, Eastpointe Code Enforcement towed the vehicle from the family’s home and impounded it again.
The report claims this happened because the car did not have a public VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), which caused it to still appear as stolen in official records.
Now, the family wants answers – but they have struggled to get callbacks or explanations from authorities and are left fearing additional towing and impound fees.
It was discovered that the car’s original VIN had been scrapped, meaning the vehicle was never processed for a new, legitimate VIN.
Eastpointe police have since stated they were waiting for a National Insurance Crime Bureau investigator to verify the car’s identity and resolve the issue – but that does little for the family’s fears they’ll face another massive bill to retrieve the car from the impound lot.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau investigator told reporters: “If purchasing a vehicle or retrieving one from a tow yard please ensure that there is a public VIN displayed under the vehicle windshield.
“If there is no VIN, ask the tow company for proper documentation in order to register the vehicle and obtain a replacement VIN from the Secretary Of State.”
This comes as another woman from Michigan recently revealed she received a text about a “safe driver refund”, but soon uncovered the malicious truth behind the message.
Sonnie Hernandez, from Dearborn received such a text but quickly recognized it as suspicious.
As reported by WXYZ, the unsolicited message displays common hallmarks of a scam, such as offers that appear too good to be true and an urgent call to action.
The message read: “Hey Sonia, your safe driver refund is ready. Click to view details.” But, she knew it was fishy.
“I kind of messed up my cousin’s car just last summer, so how am I getting a good-driver refund?”
Hernandez’s advice to others is “absolutely do not click on it.”
Experts are clear on this; insurance companies and government agencies simply do not notify about refunds via text messages.
Indeed, if you suspect you are owed a refund, then it’s worth contacting an insurance company directly.
Furthermore, avoid clicking on links in unsolicited messages to prevent malware infections, and report the scam to the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker.
And delete the text immediately.
What to do if your car is towed
Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed after parking in a “No Parking” zone or other legitimate reason, there are a few steps to take to get it back.
Steps to take when your car is towed:
- Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted “No Parking” sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
- Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail.
- Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative.
- Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.
If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps:
- Be prompt – many states have a small window of time where it’s acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle.
- Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
- Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state.
- Try speaking with the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly.
- Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help. They are often utilized for towing cases.
- Talk to a lawyer. Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer.
Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak Law Firm
