Driver Buys Used GMC Yukon for $47K — Then Discovers the Truth and It Didn’t Matter That He Had Evidence and Video Records

A FATHER has revealed he lost his life savings after buying a GMC Yukon that never arrived.

When looking for a 2021 GMC Yukon Denali, Deandre Hobbs thought he did his due diligence to make sure he was buying a car from a reputable dealership.

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“We had no reason not to believe them because of… the show he put on,” Hobbs said. CBS News.

The father-to-be found a dealership through a link on Facebook Marketplace.

Hobbs revealed that the dealer gave him everything he requested, including vehicle registrations, a video of the SUV’s tires and running engine.

Everything seemed legitimate to Hobbs, so he transferred $47,000 to the dealership – a decision he would quickly regret.

The car was supposed to be shipped from Idaho City to California within a week, but the date kept getting pushed back.

Desperate, he flew to Idaho, hoping to get the car himself.

However, when Hobbs went to the dealership, he realized it never existed.

It was revealed that the scammer copied another dealership’s SUV ad.

Fraudsters stole their website and created what appeared to be a legitimate dealership in Idaho.

Hobbs took all the information he had to the local police, but they were of no help.

“They basically said it’s not worth their time because 99 percent of the fraud cases they take on don’t catch the guy or the people,” Hobbs said.

Hobbs’ case was turned over to the FBI by CBS.

Jimmy Hassani, who worked on the case, said people who reported wire fraud to the FBI’s Internet Complaint Center within 48 hours had a 70% recovery rate.

“If you report it within a reasonable amount of time, it’s likely,” Hassani said.

“We cannot promise the full amount, but we are likely to get it.

Unfortunately, Hobbs arrived too late, but he remains optimistic.

“I hope one day they get caught,” Hobbs said.

“I tried to reflect on it and say, ‘OK, it’s just money. We are still alive. We have a roof over our heads.’ Stuff like that. But it’s devastating right now.”

CONSUMER ALERT

Drivers need to be increasingly careful not to fall victim to scams.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody recently issued a consumer warning due to the rise in odometer fraud, according to the CBS affiliate WJAX.

Half a million cars were sold last year with false readings.

“Odometer fraud preys on unsuspecting consumers, undermining trust and leaving financial and safety risks in its wake,” said Attorney General Moody.

“It is crucial that Floridians remain cautious and informed when purchasing vehicles to avoid becoming victims of this crime.”

Odometer fraud refers to “disconnecting, resetting, or altering a vehicle’s odometer with the intent to change the number of miles indicated,” according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“NHTSA estimates that more than 450,000 vehicles are sold each year with false odometer readings,” the organization wrote in its report. website.