1 October 2020
FESTUS, Mo. (KMOV.com)– An Arkansas {man|guy|male} is {warning|cautioning|alerting} others after he was scammed out of {nearly|almost} $70,000 from a sale out of St. Louis on the Facebook {Marketplace|Market}.
Garrett Hoffmann owns {a used|a pre-owned|a secondhand} {car|vehicle|automobile|cars and truck} {dealership|dealer} in Arkansas and {said|stated} he was {looking to|wanting to|seeking to|aiming to} {purchase|buy|acquire} more {cars|vehicles|automobiles|cars and trucks} for his {inventory|stock}. He {found|discovered} a truck for sale in St. Louis.
“{Instantly|Immediately|Quickly} messaged him and {inquired about|asked about} it and I was the {first|very first} one to get it so he {told|informed} me they ‘d wait on it if I {could|might} {get there|arrive} tomorrow.”
Hoffmann {said|stated} he asked the seller for the title, {photos|pictures|images} and {reviewed|evaluated|examined} the CarFax report, which did {not show|disappoint} any {red flags|warnings}, {before|prior to} {sending|sending out} {an employee|a worker|a staff member} to the {Home|House} Depot {parking lot|parking area|car park} in Festus to {purchase|buy|acquire} the truck. After {buying|purchasing} the truck, Hoffmann {said|stated} he {sold|offered} the {vehicle|car|automobile|lorry} to
another {dealer|dealership} in Tennessee within {24 hours|24 hr}. {A few|A couple of} days {later|later on}, Hoffmann {purchased|bought|acquired} {two|2} more {cars|vehicles|automobiles|cars and trucks} from the {same|exact same|very same} seller in St. Louis. He {said|stated} he {reviewed|evaluated|examined} the CarFax report, title and {photos|pictures|images} {before|prior to} {purchasing|buying|acquiring} both for $40,000. He {sold|offered} both to other {dealers|dealerships} within the week.
Towards {the end|completion} of September, Hoffmann {received|got} a call from the {first|very first} {person|individual} he {sold|offered} the truck to. The {buyer|purchaser} {told|informed} him the {car|vehicle|automobile|cars and truck} was {showing|revealing} on CarFax as reported {stolen|taken}.
“I ran the VIN numbers on the other {two|2} {cars|vehicles|automobiles|cars and trucks} I {bought from|purchased from} him {as well|also|too} and they were reported {stolen|taken},” Hoffmann {said|stated}. “I {tried|attempted} to call the number I {had|had actually} been {contacting|calling} this {guy|man|person} on and it {had|had actually} been {disconnected|detached}.”
Hoffmann {said|stated} the St. Louis seller’s Facebook account was {deactivated|shut off|shut down}. He {filed|submitted} {police|authorities|cops} reports and {refunded|reimbursed} his {customers|clients|consumers} {the money|the cash} they {paid for|spent for} the {cars|vehicles|automobiles|cars and trucks}.
Steve Weiss with Weber Chevrolet in St. Louis {said|stated} these {types of|kinds of} {scams|frauds|rip-offs} {happen|occur|take place} {often|frequently|typically} and {sometimes|in some cases|often} even on the {dealership|dealer|car dealership} level. Weiss {said|stated} {sometimes|in some cases|often} there are {delays|hold-ups} with CarFax and AutoFax. {Police|Authorities|Cops} reports {often|frequently|typically} take days {or even|and even|or perhaps} weeks to {process|procedure}. Weiss {said|stated} those reports will {not show|disappoint} up on CarFax or AutoFax {until|up until|till} they{‘re in| remain in} the {police|authorities|cops} database.
“There is {a delay|a hold-up} so if something {has|has actually} {happened|occurred|taken place} to {a car|a vehicle|an automobile|a cars and truck} it’s been {stolen|taken} or what not, it {doesn’t|does not} {immediately|instantly|right away} {show up|appear}, {takes some time|takes a while|spends some time} for {police|authorities|cops} reports to get processed,” Hoffmann {said|stated}. “By the time it’s {already|currently} on the report, {most likely|probably|more than likely} they{‘ve| have actually} {committed|dedicated|devoted} the {second|2nd} {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} and you’re the victim.”
One {mistake|error} Hoffmann {said|stated} he made was not comparing the seller’s {driver|chauffeur|motorist}’s license to the name on the title. {News 4 {contacted|got in touch with|called} the Festus {Police|Authorities|Cops} Department to see what can be done if you’re {concerned|worried} the {car|vehicle|automobile|cars and truck} you’re {purchasing|buying|acquiring} {has|has actually} been {stolen|taken}.|If you’re {concerned|worried} the {car|vehicle|automobile|cars and truck} you’re {purchasing|buying|acquiring} {has|has actually} been {stolen|taken}, News 4 {contacted|got in touch with|called} the Festus {Police|Authorities|Cops} Department to see what can be done.} {Investigators|Detectives|Private investigators} {said|stated} {concerned|worried} {buyers|purchasers} can call the department to see if the {car|vehicle|automobile|cars and truck} {shows up|appears} as {stolen|taken} in the database. {{However|Nevertheless}, there are {often|frequently|typically} {delays|hold-ups} in reporting such {crimes|criminal offenses|criminal activities}.|There are {often|frequently|typically} {delays|hold-ups} in reporting such {crimes|criminal offenses|criminal activities}.} Hoffmann hopes {investigators|detectives|private investigators} {find|discover} {the people|individuals} who scammed him.
“Do as much {research|research study} as you can {beforehand|in advance|ahead of time}, {make sure|ensure|make certain} to {check|inspect|examine} identities, titles, {everything|whatever}.”