Arkansas woman targeted by ‘smoking car' scam after listing car on Facebook Marketplace

Yahoo

20-05-2025

Renee Junkin and her father thought they had found the perfect buyer for her 2011 Jeep Wrangler after listing it on Facebook Marketplace, but what started as a typical sale quickly turned into a financial nightmare.
She says the two men pulled up and began chatting about the car, but then she noticed more people involved.
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'We talked for a minute, and when I went around the Jeep, I saw three other people inside the SUV they arrived in,' Junkin said.
After a short test drive, the buyer returned with unexpected news.
'He's like, 'It's smoking, it's leaking oil,'' Junkin said. 'I was extremely puzzled. Went to the back of the Jeep — oil is pouring out of the exhaust. Went to the front of the Jeep — oil is pouring.'
Junkin said the vehicle was in good shape before the test drive. She later did some research and discovered she might have been the target of a scam.
According to car-buying service SellMax, a growing scam involves fake buyers who intentionally sabotage vehicles during test drives — often pouring oil into the engine or coolant system — to create the illusion of a major mechanical failure. The aim is to pressure the seller into slashing the price.
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FOX 16's sister station, KUSI in San Diego, previously reported on similar incidents. One anonymous victim described a nearly identical experience.
'As soon as he pulled up, I could see three guys in the van,' the man said. 'I told my wife, 'Shut the garage. Don't come outside.' I just knew I was not in a good situation.'
The scheme, sometimes referred to as the 'smoking car' or 'car oil' scam, typically involves teams of people. While one person distracts the seller, another may tamper with the vehicle. The supposed buyer then returns from a test drive claiming to know exactly what's wrong with the car.
'He goes, 'There's oil in your coolant,' and I said, 'What?''
'The guy tells us, 'It's a cracked head gasket.''
Junkin said the men insisted the Jeep needed thousands of dollars in repairs. When she hesitated, things escalated.
'He got a little aggressive — 'No, no, no — I want the Jeep,'' she said. 'He was very stern. The guy with him had the cash and was just as firm.'
Under pressure, she sold the Jeep for $5,500 — nearly $10,000 less than she had hoped to get. She has been unable to contact the buyer since.
'How did you feel when you accepted this money that was so much less than you intended?' she was asked.
'Sick to my stomach,' she said. 'Frustrated. Confused. I just couldn't understand what had happened to the Jeep.'
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Junkin hopes her story will serve as a warning to others: Be cautious when selling a vehicle online. Always meet in a public place, bring someone with you, and don't be afraid to walk away if something feels off.
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