New scam targeting car sellers: What to know

Yahoo

30-01-2025

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Officials and a victim are warning San Diegans about a growing scam that targets people who are selling their cars.
The scam happens in a matter of seconds, and either ends with the owner selling the car for way less than it's worth, or it ends up costing the owner of the car hundreds of dollars to repair the car.
'It's just not right,' said Sean Pour, co-founder of SellMax. 'I think it's a growing scam people are realizing they can make a quick buck.'
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Pour said through SellMax, which buys cars nationwide that are junk or in need of repair, he sees several of these scams per month.
La Mesa police said it has received reports twice. 'You'll sometimes see it called the 'car oil scam,'' Lt. Katy Lynch with the La Mesa Police Department said.
'I just knew I wasn't in a good situation,' said one of the victims of the scam in San Diego County, who asked to remain anonymous. And his gut instincts were right.
After posting his car for sale, the seller said someone came to look at the vehicle with three other people. As one distracted him by counting money and asking for the title, he said another prospective buyer poured oil in his coolant reservoir, triggering the check engine light.
One of the scammers then became upset at the seller, while another offered him thousands of dollars less than asking price for the car. The entire con happened in less than a minute, costing the victim $500 to repair it before trying to sell it again.
'They work in teams — so one person will distract you by asking you to see the car title or something about the vehicle, and the other person will quickly pour oil in the coolant reservoir and pour it around the engine of the car,' Pour explained.
'What this does is it causes the car to smoke,' he continued. 'What this means is typically a blown head gasket or some major issue with the car. They try to pressure people into selling the car at a lower price point.'
Lynch recommends selling items in public, such as La Mesa PD's 'transaction zones' in front of the station, and always having at least one other trustworthy person there.
She also encourages any victims of scams like these to report them to police. As she explained, oftentimes victims are too embarrassed to bring them to the proper authorities.
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