The Bexar County tax assessor-collector reports some recent auto buyers have been tricked into purchasing vehicles with fraudulent titles or stolen vehicles.
Albert Uresti said three buyers have been swindled out of $10,000, $35,000, and $15,000 cash, respectively, in the past week.
He said there have been several individuals entering the tax office to transfer a title into their name on a vehicle they found on the internet and bought in another county, only to find the vehicle is stolen or the title they have been given is fraudulent, and the seller has used a fake identification as well.
The current vehicle market features many higher priced new models and lower inventory on both new and used models, which has buyers looking for cheaper deals elsewhere, and that has had led to a rise in scammers.
"So, people are looking for ways to save money, and lot of them are going to the internet to try and to save money," he said. "Unfortunately, there's a lot of people out there trying to take advantage of you, so you have to be careful with that."
Uresti said his office is a good place to finalize vehicle transactions if there is any doubt.
"If the seller will not come with you to our office, do not buy the car until you have verified the title and vehicle information," he said.
Uresti said using one of the 19 full-service title transfer companies in Bexar County to transfer the title before a payment is made is another wise option.
“I’m asking our citizens to be careful and to be diligent when buying a vehicle from an individual you don’t know, especially if you find it on an internet site. The seller may not have a real title to the vehicle, or the vehicle may even be stolen. If the car is stolen, law enforcement will seize the vehicle. Buyers should follow this simple rule of thumb: If the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is, so proceed with caution," he said.
