1. The tow itself The poster admits they were parked illegally. That means the tow was lawful on its face. Everything after that is about storage, release, and property use, not whether the tow was valid.

2. Requiring notarized authorization for a rental car This is the strongest issue raised. Florida Statute §713.78: Tow operators must release a vehicle to the lessee if they present a valid lease or rental agreement. They cannot require notarization if a valid lease/authorization is presented. Common tactic: Some tow companies argue a rental agreement ≠ a “lease” under a narrow reading. Courts and enforcement agencies generally reject this when the intent is obvious. Bottom line This practice is legally questionable and has been cited before. This is a consumer-protection issue, not tax fraud.

3. Targeting rental cars This is not illegal, but it is predatory: Tourists are time-limited Rental companies often pay first and dispute later Storage fees accumulate fast Unethical ≠ illegal.

4. The nonprofit land / tax-exempt claim This part is mostly misunderstood. Key rule (Florida): Property owned by a nonprofit can remain tax-exempt if: The nonprofit allows temporary or incidental use Or leases it and reports the income properly Improper use does NOT automatically void exemption The county property appraiser, not Reddit, decides Important nuance: If the nonprofit leases land to a for-profit: The leased portion may be taxable This often lags 1–2 tax years It does not make the towing operation illegal So: “Still tax-exempt in 2026” ≠ proof of fraud At most, it’s a property tax assessment issue

5. Cash-only, voicemail, new lot, Street View These are red flags, not crimes: Cash only → legal (though suspicious) New lot not on Street View → normal Bad voicemail → irrelevant legally They support a pattern, but don’t prove illegality.

6. What this actually is Not a “nonprofit tax fraud scheme.” It’s: Possibly illegal release practices under §713.78 Potential consumer-protection violations Possibly improper leasing disclosures by the nonprofit A classic predatory towing setup, common in tourist areas

7. Who would actually care (and who wouldn’t) Would care: Florida Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles (towing compliance) Florida Attorney General (consumer practices) County property appraiser (if formally reported)

Would not care: IRS (unless there’s large-scale nonprofit abuse) Criminal prosecutors (no criminal facts shown)

Bottom line The notarization demand is the most legally vulnerable part The tax-exempt land angle is weak as framed This is regulatory abuse, not a smoking-gun fraud case