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The good, the bad, and the ugly - discover what customers are saying about Southwest Auto Tow

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3:16 pm EDT
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Southwest Auto Tow Illegal towing

SWAT should be called in to shut down Southwest Auto Tow ! Illegal towing is my main complaint. Residents in my east Dallas complex know all too well. I personally have had 2 vehicles "illegally" towed, Needless to say both were returned to me "free of charge" but that's not the point ! " Returned free of charge " from Southwest means-admission of guilt if you ask me ! A word from the Wise to the Wondering - don't live in an apartment that "contracts" towing with Southwest. Inoperable vehicles is one thing but "illegal" tows are another : THIS NEEDS TO STOP ! My other issue is and this is a true story with witnesses if needed in court : One night Southwest was here on "predatory" watch, they spotted a lil red SUV in a parking spot so they decided it was a go : .. they click/pic drop/bar and began to dragggg it from it's space ... draaagggggggg draaaagggg dragggggg. The lil SUV was being stubborn and didn't want the drivers to take him. They finally began to drag it out a lil further out and a little more speed .. then all of a sudden ... they dropped it ! NOT the tow bar ..THE SUV ! The passenger in the tow truck jumped out and ran to the drivers side of the SUV .. Opened the drivers side door and began to manually turn the steering wheel ! .. He jumped back in the truck and they began to come to a corner to turn to leave ... guess what happens !? They drop it again ! Tell me that doesn't do damage to the vehicle ! I didn't think it was possible to "DROP" a vehicle but that night it was done "TWICE" ! ... It was more like the SUV jumped off or was pulled off the tow bar ... in either case : SHUT THIS company down ! Heading over to TDLR and BBB or yeah and I'll have to check out Southwest Auto on Facebook to see if they have another "auction". SHUT EM DOWN !

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3:10 pm EDT
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Southwest Auto Tow Dan & Joann Messina are Car Thieves

Dan and Joann Messina run a fraudulent, illegal towing company named Southwest Auto Tow. These two conniving deceivers are very beguiling and good at selling their wares and have contracted with property management and apartment complexes all over the Dallas metroplex to be given legal permission to come onto those properties and rob the tenants of their most expensive possession and the charge them money to get back what they stole. Dan and Joann Messina are thieves of the vilest kind. They make their money by stealing property and monies from other families. Dan and Joann Messina bring money home to their family that they stole from others. This is a very sick couple folks, make no mistake about that!

Joann Messina is the sales person who goes out and gets the business. She is insidious in her ways, getting in her grasp those foolish companies that hire her to steal from their own tenants.

Any company that contracts with these scammers - Dan and Joann Messina - should be looked at as corrupt themselves.

Dan and Joann Messina are slobs and so are those whom they employ. This is their only chance to make good money ... from robbing from others.

This whole business is gutteral and immoral no matter how you look at it. The only way Dan and Joann Messina's company works is when they steal someone else's property. Dan and Joann Messina are corrupt to the depth of their souls, never losing a wink of sleep over the fraud they are perpetrating and horror they are bringing on others and then gouging them to get their vehicle back that was stolen by the Messina's.

Joann's email address is: [protected]@swautotow.com

I assume Dan's is [protected]@swautotow.com

Isabel Gonzales is one of their employee-thieves.
Matt Julius and Jerry splawn jr. are drivers who say they “pray to God.” These are two deluded buffoons at best, vainly imagining that they are Christians while they make a living stealing from others. There is no way to justify what these thieves are doing for a living. At least one of these dupes has been shot because these guys are thieves who steal from others!

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Update by Charlene Telling the Truth
Sep 12, 2010 9:54 am EDT

IF YOU ARE A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY OR EMPLOYEE AND YOU THINK HIRING DAN AND JOANN MESSINA (THE VULTURES) TO STEAL YOUR OWN CLIENTS' VEHICLES IS THE ANSWER, YOU ARE ONE DERANGED INDIVIDUAL. Not only is that a stupid move in and of itself, Southwest Auto Tow is nothing but a bunch of grossly overweight losers who can't get legitimate work so they are employed by these Messina losers to help them steal from others to make money and then grossly overcharge them to get their own property back. No wonder some of their employees have been shot!

Dan and Joann Messina are corrupt to the core of their being. They are vile thieves who break the law and are completely immoral. These junkyard dogs steal for a living. They do not rest at night until they have stolen cars to make money.

See picture attached of Dan Messina the pig sitting on one of his thieving machines.

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Preston Hills Condominiums
Dallas, US
Feb 27, 2015 11:20 am EST
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Southwest came onto our Condominium complex in North Dallas which is private property and hung up their signs. We do not contract with them and this was not approved by our Homeowner's Association or Management. Something should be done about this illegal practice! City of Dallas contacted as well as the DPD. Poor Practice and Fraudulent!

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Pissed Parking Patron
, US
May 29, 2014 7:52 pm EDT
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SWAT has to take a pic /video of the vechicle before it's towed ( as evidence needed to tow ) .. BUT yet when you ask for a copy. You don't get one ... ESPECIALLY if the vechicle/vehicles were towed illegally. What amazes me the most about this company is that I have reason to believe someone is getting some serious kickbacks .. think about this .. Predatory- contracts-illegal towing-public auctions-

Perhaps I'd better contact the City of Dallas :)

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ihateswautotow
Dallas, US
May 13, 2014 6:18 am EDT
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I have had the same thing happen. SWAT hooked up my vehicle towed it and even though it had a visitors pass in it. They claimed to have video evidence of walking around the vehicle to ensure the vehicle was in violation they could not produce video. Just like the others, when ask to check vehicle for pass the only way was to pay first then they say I planted the pass. They are [censored] bags, I have reported the company to the state licensing board and an investigation was done. Since Joann is on the licensing board it may have been looked at through rose colored glasses.

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Pissed Parking Patron
, US
May 12, 2014 2:18 pm EDT
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SWAT is what's needed to shut down Southwest Auto Tow that's for sure ! Towing inoperable vehicles( expiration stickers, flats etc ) from apartment complexes is one thing but when the property management "authorizes" S.W.A.T to tow constitutes a "contract". Thus, a word for the Wise to the Wondering - don't ever live at a complex that "contracts" towing. Residents of my east Dallas complex know all too well about being towed ( illegally ) I've personally had 2 vehicles "illegally" towed. Needless to say both vehicles were returned to me free of charge. That's not the point ! Returned "free of charge" from SWAT means admission of guilt ! We'll see what the judge says :) .. True story with witnesses : one night Swat was being "predatory" of coarse. They spotted a SUV for tow : click/pic drop/bar and dragggggg. There was a lil red SUV they started to take from it's parking spot ...he was being stubborn and didn't want the drivers to take him ... draggggggggggg ... dragggggggggggg ... draggggggggg ... they finally got it lifted and started towing it ... guess what happens !? They started to make a turn ------ They drop it - NOT- the tow bar but the SUV ! The passenger in the Swat truck jumps out AND runs to the drivers side of SUV and manually turns the steering wheel, they start to dragggggg it again .. the SUV drops again ! Tell me that's not shady and illegal! Welp, I'm off to the TDLR and BBB now and to check to see if SWAT has put up a new "auction" page yet ! SHUT THIS COMPANY DOWN !

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ihateswautotow
Dallas, US
Jan 23, 2013 6:36 am EST
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Towgirl must work for the corrupt company! I had the same situation where Scott from SWTow hooked up my car towed it to the lot from an apartment complex saying it was parked illegally. When asked to check the vehicle for the visitors parking pass, was told to pay first then check, low and behold a vistors parking pass...I will see them in court.

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towgirl
Dallas, US
Oct 30, 2010 8:26 am EDT

In response to Kverdugo's comment. How can you expect anyone to read your complaint and take you seriously? It's rather obvious that you are an angry individual. You say that people were rude to you, but in your own words you have said over and over that you insulted the employees. It doesn't matter if the person is in customer service or not, if you treat them with disrespect and insult them in such a manner, how can you expect to be treated nicely? People need to remember that the ones behind the glass are still people and just doing a job that they are paid to do.

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Kverdugo
Dallas, US
Oct 23, 2010 3:42 am EDT

They stole my wife's car last night from our apartments. They tried to say it didn't have a permit sticker, so i asked to be escorted to the car to see for myself. The big fat dude that looks like the ### from Goonies told me I'd have to pay then go check for myself. They tried to show me a picture on the computer screen through that thick yellow glass and I told them I couldn't tell if it was the car window or not. Anyways, when I finally paid, thinking I'd get a prompt refund when I proved the sticker was on there, I went back to get my wife's car and the green apt permit sticker was on there plain as day. I drove to the back window and asked nicely for the fat ### to come and and see for himself and he said "yeah right it's on there now" accusing me a bringing a sticker from my apts to put on there. Anyways they called the cops and said I was tresspassing just because I wanted to complain to their manager. Anways, cops came and said they couldn't do anything being that it's a civil case now. They did say this isn't the 1st time this has happened and that they're "shady" like that.

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