Colorado Man Scammed in Elaborate Stolen Truck Scheme
A Colorado resident learned a harsh lesson about online purchases after unknowingly buying a stolen truck through Facebook Marketplace. The Eagle County Sheriff’s Office is warning consumers about a sophisticated scam where thieves “recycle” stolen vehicles by keeping a key fob, tracking them down, and stealing them back to resell.
The victim, an Eagle County resident, flew to Houston to inspect the truck after finding it online. Everything appeared legitimate: the VIN on the title matched the VIN plates inside the truck, and the license plates seemed authentic. The seller even provided documents that appeared to verify ownership but claimed one of the truck’s key fobs had been lost.
The buyer paid cash, drove the truck back to Colorado, and only uncovered the scam when attempting to register the vehicle. Suspicious personnel at the county clerk’s office contacted a detective, who discovered the title had been altered to match the VIN, the plates had been cloned from real plates, and a hidden tracking device was found on the truck. Authorities in Houston confirmed the truck had been reported stolen in November and already belonged to an insurance company that had compensated the original owner.
“This scam involves stealing cars, forging paperwork to sell them, and then using a tracking device to steal the vehicle back with a second key,” the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office said. “Our victim is now out both the money and the truck.”
Officials are working with Texas law enforcement to apprehend the criminals, but the victim remains significantly impacted. The sheriff’s office advises against paying cash for large purchases on social media and recommends using payment methods with fraud protection, such as certified checks. Additionally, they stress caution when a deal seems “too good to be true.”
