Thieves are out there taking advantage, just like always.
If you've ever stepped into the great world of the internet then you'll know that there are a lot of scammers out there who are looking to take your hard-earned money as quickly and efficiently as possible. At least, this is something that Texas residents found out after purchasing their vehicles through social media. That's right, those countless hours of scrolling through various online listings that we all do as enthusiasts may prove dangerous as was the case in this story. So how did these Texans end up buying vehicles that were never the sellers, to begin with, and how might you protect yourself from this happening to you?
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Picture yourself as a Texan looking for a new vehicle after having just parted ways with your old ride. You scroll through Facebook Marketplace or any number of social media marketplaces for coming across the car that you deem perfect. You contact the seller, get confirmation that the title is in their hands, and finally set a date for them to come and meet you and make the exchange. Maybe you notice something funny when they only accept cash and give you as little detail as possible but you need a car so you make the purchase.
Little did you know, that vehicle was stolen, likely in the Houston area, because many residents tend to leave their keys in the car or unlock the doors. After taking the car, the criminal forged an ID and a title tricking you into believing their story. Once the exchange of cash for your new car has commenced, you then go to get a title at which time you promptly met with the realization that it is a stolen vehicle and the police confiscated it as evidence. This is precisely the situation that is happening in the Houston area of Texas right now and it appears that the only way to prevent it from happening to you is to watch out for any odd behavior when purchasing a car. Hopefully, the scheme will be put to an end by Houston Police but until then, this is a major issue affecting Texans and anyone purchasing a vehicle through social media really should watch out for the signs of fraud.
Source: KAXN
