Latinos in Tarrant County targeted by scam sales of stolen pickups. Here’s how it works
The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office is warning buyers to beware when purchasing cars from private sellers due to an increase in stolen vehicle purchases by innocent buyers, many of whom speak Spanish.
The Tarrant Regional Auto Crimes Task Force and several local law enforcement agencies have seen a significant increase in investigations involving innocent third-party purchases of stolen newer model GM pickup trucks.
Buyers have found the vehicles for sale through popular social media sales websites and met sellers at public locations that do not specifically tie to residential or business addresses, according to the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office.
The vehicles are being listed online in Spanish, negotiated with Spanish-speaking victims and involve cash-only sales in the majority of reported cases.
Identification cards and titles that are being provided by the sellers have been determined to be fictitious, and the vehicle identification numbers are often changed, according to the sheriff’s office. Sellers are disconnecting phone numbers associated with the sale after the purchase is complete.
Victims have discovered they have purchased a stolen vehicle when they try to transfer the fictitious title through local tax offices or the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
“These schemes have become pretty sophisticated over the years in which fraudsters are tricking victims into extremely good deals on vehicles that come with a key, a title and a bill of sale, all of which look legitimate to them,” said Matt Pedersen, commander of the Tarrant Regional Auto Crimes Task Force, in a news release. “It is a terrible situation for these victims when they are told that their sale was fraudulent, the vehicle gets seized and they are out thousands of dollars.”
Pedersen said that agencies across North and Central Texas are communicating with each other on leads and cases, looking to identify and hold suspects accountable.
“At this point, we just wanted to communicate with the public that this trend is occurring and request that potential buyers exercise caution and due diligence when researching and buying a vehicle, especially from private individuals on social media,” Pedersen said.
The task force recommends that the public keep these tips in mind when purchasing a vehicle:
Use an established and reputable car dealership, when possible, rather than relying on private sales negotiated online and through social media websites.
When purchasing from individuals, be suspicious of deals that are “too good to be true,” “cash-only” sales and vehicles with no prior registration, insurance or repair records.
Be suspicious of online profiles that were recently created and show no prior sales histories or reviews.
Be cautious of a seller with no fixed address, place of employment, or phone number.
Try to get a photo of the seller, their identification card, a license plate, and a description of the vehicle they arrive or leave in. If the seller is hesitant, be suspicious and trust your gut.
Check to ensure the VIN plate is present, secure and unaltered. If in doubt about plate authenticity, check with a new car dealer who handles the same model or contact a law enforcement agency.
Vehicle histories and reports are valuable, but only if the VIN displayed on the vehicle truly belongs to the vehicle being sold.
Check “official” documents carefully and look for misspellings, alterations, mismatched identification numbers, names, and other errors.
Request to meet sellers at a “safe exchange zone” at your local police department or at a DMV parking lot, either of which may deter potential criminals.
