Latest news with #Junkin
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Arkansas woman targeted by ‘smoking car' scam after listing car on Facebook Marketplace
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. 'They had my daughter's demeanor, I mean everything about her' Morrilton couple targeted by scam impersonating daughter '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. Lyft customers being charged for fake damage, investigation finds 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.' BBB warns of 'big ticket item' scams on Facebook Marketplace 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. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Famed Darth Vader house, which resembles the ‘Star Wars' villain's helmet, has sold for $3.4M
An imperious mansion located in a Houston subdivision — and, no, not in a galaxy far, far away — sold earlier this month for $3.4 million. The property is known as the Darth Vader house. The unique home, built by a surgeon in the '90s to resemble a Lockheed Nighthawk stealth fighter, received the moniker for its imposing, helmet-like facade — which give it a quirky 'Star Wars' vibe. After several changed hands and a few years on the market, the home has found a new owner in Mexican artist and photographer Enrique Cabrera, the Houston Chronicle reported, and he plans to rebrand the dwelling. 12 The helmet-like home was built in 1992. TK Images/Mega 12 The home earned its local monkier from the 'Star Wars' villain Darth Vader. ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection The 7,040-square-foot residence is located in Houston's West University subdivision. Its angular dark slate and aluminum exteriors are unmistakable, and earned it a spot on the popular Instagram account Zillow Gone Wild. The viral property was built in 1992 for Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Jean Cuckier. Architect Randy Hickey told Texas Monthly that Cuckier was inspired by a stealth fighter jet. The interiors are just as striking as the facade. Laser-blue backlighting illuminates the living area, which features a sunken conversation put and two floating glass staircases. 12 The sunken conversation pit is lit up by strip lights and floor-to-ceiling windows. TK Images/Mega 12 The twin floating staircases. TK Images/Mega 12 The kitchen features textured, hand-cut counters. TK Images/Mega 12 The angular stone flooring extends into the primary bedroom. TK Images/Mega 12 Even the bathrooms are edgy in their look. TK Images/Mega The angular black and white floors, made of concrete and hand-cut black stone, run throughout the home's four bedrooms and five bathrooms. The home also boasts a four-car garage and a hot tub. The eye-catching mansion hit the market in 2021 for $4.3 million. It was sold the same year to real estate agent Jason Junkin of Nitya Realty. 'I lived in Houston most of my life, and I had always seen the house, and it was just kind of an emotional buy I guess,' Junkin told the Houston Chronicle. 'If the house next door was for sale, I wouldn't have even batted an eye at it. Junkin sought to sell the home with another brokerage before he reestablished himself as its listing agent. It most recently advertised for $3.35 million. 12 The home as seen from the suburban sidewalk. TK Images/Mega 12 A dining area. TK Images/Mega 12 The office. TK Images/Mega 12 An outdoor area. TK Images/Mega A blog post by Nan and Co. Properties, whose agent Nancy Almodovar represented Cabrera, confirmed the purchase of the home for $3.4 million. The angular nature of the house appears to compliment the artist's style. Cabrera may be locally known to New Yorkers as the sculptor behind 'La Gran Manzana,' a large, angular red apple near Rockefeller Center and 'El Toro de Oro,' a large, angular golden bull in the Meatpacking District. 12 The artist, Enrique Cabrera, purchased the home this month. WireImage Cabrera plans to use the home as a private residence, according to the Houston Chronicle, and to install one of his bull sculptures on the property. He's also changing the name. Cabrera told the publication that he is renaming the property 'The Black Bull House.'
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Yahoo
Woman accused of stabbing someone during fight arrested
A 26-year-old woman accused of stabbing someone during a fight is behind bars, according to a spokesperson from the Richmond Police Department. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Richmond police responded to reports of a stabbing in the 1100 block of NW 6th Street just before 2 a.m. on Tuesday. TRENDING STORIES: 'I'm lost;' Man, woman react to losing homes in Dayton apartment collapse Nearly 630,000-pound 'superload' to cause area road closure Wednesday Ohio accents: Do they really exist? Upon arrival, police medics found a male with a stab wound on his back from an 'altercation.' Medics took the victim to Reid Health. He is currently in stable condition, according to the spokesperson. Police identified the suspect as Allison Junkin, 26, of Richmond. She left the scene in a car before officers arrived. The spokesperson said police found Junkin and pulled her over without incident. Junkin was arrested on a battery with a deadly weapon charge. She is currently booked in the Wayne County Jail. This stabbing remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Richmond Police Department at (765) 983-7247. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
