Tow truck scam uncovered in South Africa

Johannesburg - Unscrupulous tow truck drivers have branched into giving crashed vehicles a quick makeover so that they will be roadworthy and the owners can lodge successful insurance claims, according to a report to be broadcast by Carte Blanche this Sunday.

''The reason we did it, is tow truck operators allow local transport operators to take road safety short cuts to defraud insurance,'' the story's producer Nicky Troll said.

''Insurance won't pay out if your car is not roadworthy. You are technically responsible for the accident if you don't maintain your vehicle,'' she explained.

The crew found a truck that had been in an accident years ago, choosing one that was not be too damaged, otherwise the small tow truck industry would have heard about the accident. They found a quiet road to not disrupt traffic, and with the aid of specialist equipment, tipped the truck and staged the accident scene.

''We took out some parts to make it not roadworthy to see who would be willing to do it for us, and we caught quite a few,'' said Troll.

It will be aired on Carte Blanche on M-Net at 19:00 this Sunday.