A DRIVER was scammed out of more than $10,000 by a brazen scammer who used a ‘Miss Trunchbull’ trick.
Tran, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was amazed when he believed he had scored a bargain on a used 2015 Honda Odyssey minivan on Facebook Marketplace.
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After a period of negotiation, the driver took the keys for US$10,600, WCNC reported.
However, the shameless conman rolled back the odometer – reducing the miles displayed on a car’s gauge cluster and therefore increasing the value of the engine.
Instead of showing 200,000 miles, the minivan appeared to have only driven 140,000.
The dirty tactic is similar to that of used car salesman Harry Wormwood, played by Danny DeVito, in the hit 90s film Matilda.
In it, Wormwood refurbishes junk vehicles by replacing bumpers with glue, filling the transmission with sawdust and – most tortuous – adjusting the odometer.
One of his victims is the film’s antagonist, Miss Trunchbull.
Tran had his eye on an affordable vehicle to help transport his wife, three children and father-in-law.
“We could never afford a new one with our financial situation,” Tran said.
“And that’s why we go to Facebook Marketplace.”
“The first time we met, we shook hands, everything went well, as expected, nothing out of the ordinary about it.”
After reducing the asking price to $14,000, Tran became suspicious of how quickly the seller relented and the penny ended up dropping.
“He accepted immediately and I was surprised and that was a small [red] flag,” he said.
“So I went home and shared it with my wife.
“And then I asked for a VIN via text. He gave it to me.”
“Then I realized later that the seller’s name is not on the paperwork.”
“This car has about 200,000 miles on it, not what the speedometer said.
“The speedometer read 132, so they slowed it down by a third and that’s when my world collapsed because that was our entire budget.”
Patrick Olson of Carfax revealed that North Carolina has been hit by a series of automobile odometer scams.
“Carfax estimates there are about 49,000 cars across North Carolina with reverse odometers and about 16,000 in the Charlotte metro area,” he added.
BUYING A CAR WITH A WATCH
A car’s mileage is one of its biggest selling points, simply because lower mileage typically means dealers can ask a higher price on the second-hand market.
But with a timed car, the displayed mileage is manipulated and reversed to falsely increase the value of the car.
Modern technology has made this change more difficult to detect, but there are warning signs you can watch for.
First, checking the mileage on old certificates and service history can help you determine if the current value is realistic.
You can also look for signs of use around the car that you wouldn’t expect in a low-mileage car—for example, when doing an interior check to see if the steering wheel is peeling or if the pedals are worn.
Five tips for getting the best deal when buying a used car
According to Wheeler Dealers star Marc Priestley
- Look beyond the mileage – even low-mileage cars can have problems, especially if they are in storage
- Check the small details – something as small as the rubber seals around doors and windows can be vital
- Take a look underneath – watch out for rust and corrosion on the underside
- Inspect the boot – watch out for moisture and water leaks
- Check documents – service history, MOT history, registration documents
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
