Watch out for this scam…
Criminals seem to always be scheming for new ways to separate you from your car. Fortunately, most of them aren’t all that creative or intelligent, although some incredibly simplistic methods tend to work on the majority of the population. A perfect example of this comes to us via Ireland of all places where car theft is an issue, just like in many other countries like the United States and Canada.
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A 26-year-old restaurant worker from Dublin, named Stephen Corbally, is accused of stealing cars while supposedly taking them for test drives, then turning around and selling them to unsuspecting buyers. This is hardly the first time we’ve heard of someone taking a vehicle for a test drive and never returning with it, but we’re shocked he was able to get away with this for any amount of time.
According to a report from Irish Examiner, the man would find private sellers via internet sites like Facebook Marketplace. After meeting up with them and acting interested in buying their vehicle, he would go for a test drive and then just disappear.
There are ways to guard against this risk, something anyone selling a car privately should consider. For starters, having a tracker or multiple trackers in your car before handing the keys over to a stranger would be abundantly wise. Also, take a photo of the person’s driver’s license before you let them have the keys, just in case. After all, someone can fake a Facebook profile easier than a license.
Riding along for a test drive is something we have mixed feelings about. While it allows you to keep track of what’s happening to your car, the person supposedly interested in buying it could transport you somewhere remote. As many security experts caution, never let a stranger drag you into a vehicle, because it might be the last time anyone sees you alive. If that sounds paranoid, it is, but more and more car thieves are becoming downright violent to steal from regular people.
Source: Irish Examiner
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