ARLINGTON, VA – Used cars are in high demand and scammers know it. Scammers take advantage of buyers who turn to online platforms in search of a reasonably priced used vehicle. Beware of this latest twist and too-good-to-be-true prices.

How does this scam work

You buy a used vehicle on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, eBay or another online platform. You find the make and model you want at an excellent price. Surprising!

However, when you contact the seller, you discover that the vehicle is in another city. Fortunately, the seller knows a transport company that can deliver it to you. All you have to do is pay the transport company, who will hold the funds in escrow until the vehicle is delivered. Many scammers will add a sad story meant to strike a chord with you. For example, they may claim that the car belonged to a deceased relative.

In a recent BBB Scam Tracker report, the scammer claimed to be selling a car in the name of his aunt, who inherited it from her recently deceased father. “The ‘aunt’ claimed she was a nurse and worked shifts, and my daughter’s original email fell into her spam folder. The ‘aunt’ had moved to another province thousands of miles away from us. But if my daughter wanted to buy the car at the listed price (which was well below the list price for a vehicle of this type, year and mileage), the aunt had a contract with a transport company automobile.

Once you have paid the third party company, usually by bank transfer or prepaid debit card, your vehicle will not be delivered. The sale was a scam and the scammer was in cahoots with the third party shipping company. Unfortunately, your money is gone for good.