The Watonga Police Department recently made a public service announcement about scammers operating in this area. The scammers ask would-be purchasers to send money via nonrefundable methods to ‘hold’ a non-existent vehicle, then sending them to a false Watonga address to see it in person.
Apparently, this scam isn’t isolated to Blaine County.
Better Business Bureau Serving Central Oklahoma is warning consumers to exercise extreme caution when shopping for vehicles online, particularly through Facebook Marketplace. Over the last month, the BBB office has received more than 20 calls from individuals who were targeted by fraudulent vehicle listings, many of which involved classic cars, exotic vehicles or high value used cars.
These scams commonly involve listings that feature stolen or misappropriated photos, often pulled from legitimate dealer websites or public internet sources. The listed prices for these vehicles are significantly below market value, which should raise immediate red flags for prospective buyers.
“Our concern is growing,” said Kitt Letcher, President and CEO of BBB. “These fraudulent sellers are preying on hopeful buyers with bargain prices, convincing them to send money up front, sometimes thousands of dollars, through irreversible payment methods like Zelle, Venmo or wire transfer.”
In several cases, victims reported receiving follow-up calls claiming the vehicle had been delayed by 'customs authorities’ most commonly, ‘Texas Customs’ a fictitious entity. Scammers then requested additional funds to resolve the supposed issue.
BBB urges consumers to take the following precautions: Do your research: Verify the legitimacy of the seller and reverseimage search vehicle photos.
Beware of too-goodto- be-true pricing: Unusually low prices for high-value vehicles are a common red flag.
Never send money upfront to a stranger, especially via Zelle, Venmo, wire transfer, or other non-refundable methods.
Request to see the vehicle in person before exchanging funds.
Visit BBB.org to research businesses and view scam alerts in your area.
If you believe you’ve encountered a scam, report it at BBB.org/ScamTracker and contact your financial institution immediately.