After enduring the traumatic experience of the Eaton wildfire, Los Angeles residents faced the threat of scammers out to take advantage of their misfortune. Towing companies stole their vehicles and charged high fees for their return, according to the Guardian.

What's happening?

The Eaton Fire began Jan. 7, destroying more than 9,700 homes and businesses and killing 17 people. During the first four days of wildfire chaos, multiple tow truck companies fraudulently claimed to be working for the city of Altadena, according to Kathryn Barger, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

Towing operators took vehicles, then refused to tell the owners where they were being held. Once the owners agreed to pay excessive fees, they were often informed their cars were far away in San Bernardino or Riverside — both at least an hour's drive from L.A. 

"I find it disgusting that these fraudulent tow operators exploited fire survivors during their time of distress," Barger said, per the Guardian.

Two of these survivors, David Gueringer and Ursula Knudson, told ABC7 that a towing company took their vehicle, claiming it had been contracted by the city to clear cars as part of debris removal efforts. The company then placed a lien on the vehicle.

"I realized they wanted the cars. It's complicated," Knudson said to ABC7. "It would be impressive if it wasn't so awful."

Why is this fraudulent activity important?

Climate experts have said the recent L.A. wildfires were caused by unusually dry conditions combined with intense winds, along with weather whiplash in the region, Inside Climate News reported. The climate crisis is causing wildfires — along with other extreme weather events — to be more frequent, longer, and more intense.

As communities around the globe feel the effects of rising global temperatures and struggle through extreme weather events, frauds and scams after such devastation can only exacerbate the situation.

Extreme weather events induced by the changing climate can be unpredictable and swift. We will need to be there for one another when it's time to rebuild better and plan for the future.

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What's being done about the climate crisis and fraud?

Los Angeles officials have asked anyone who experienced suspicious interactions with towing operators to report them to the Inland Empire Automobile Insurance Fraud Task Force. The California Department of Insurance is investigating these and other towing scams.

Countries around the globe have promised to decrease pollution significantly in an effort to curb rising global temperatures. In our daily lives, consuming less and decreasing our dependence on dirty fuels can help our communities and the planet. 

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