He Transferred $26K for a Corvette Transaction and Was Blocked on Facebook Instead | Carscoops

      The victim reveals all the actions taken by the scammer to steal his money

      7 hours ago

      by Stephen Rivers

      A man from Tennessee loses $26,000 in a Facebook scam involving a counterfeit 1963 Corvette.

      An unbelievable price and falsified documents deceived him into sending the money.

      Experts advise buyers to always inspect the car or hire a reliable inspector beforehand.

      For many car enthusiasts, owning a classic vehicle is a long-held dream. It’s something we desire and strive for, but for one man in East Tennessee, it turned into a nightmare. After transferring $26,000 for a classic 1963 Corvette, he found himself with nothing and is now working to help others avoid falling victim to such scams.

      The scam unfolded according to a familiar pattern. A seller posted images on Facebook, was open to phone conversations, and claimed that there were other interested buyers. Before long, Jim Maidens had wired $26,000. “He said the car was in excellent condition,” Maidens remarked. “I asked if he had driven it, and he replied that he had and that it drove perfectly.”

      Maidens isn’t an inexperienced car buyer; he already owns two Corvettes. He knew what he was after and pursued it. The car in question was from 1963, though it’s unclear if it was a hardtop or convertible. The price could have raised suspicions; the seller was asking for $26,000 plus an additional $750 for delivery.

      Too Good To Be True

      According to public sales, that amount is significantly low. Many cars from the same C2 generation sell for twice that price. Certainly, the scammer leveraged this attractively low price to lure Maidens and others like him. Subsequently, it became about convincing the victim that the car was legitimate through forged documents.

      “He called me and said he received the wire transfer, and that the car would be loaded over the weekend and arrive on Monday,” Maidens told WATE. “The car never came. When I tried to contact him, I found myself blocked. […] I got scammed. $26,750. Just like that. Once I was unable to communicate with him, I realized it was over.”

      A Simple Safety Net

      The remedy here is relatively straightforward. Insist on seeing the car in person or, at the very least, enlist a third-party service to inspect the vehicle on-site. Avoid sending money unless you are confident that the car is genuine. Even then, further verification is crucial. Numerous schemes involve real cars being stolen or cloned from otherwise legitimate vehicles or trucks. Even wealthy individuals have fallen for similar scams.

      The lesson is clear: always verify before making any payments. A quick personal inspection or a professional pre-purchase evaluation can determine if you’ll be enjoying your dream car or watching thousands of dollars disappear.