Palm Desert man warns of car scam where Craigslist buyers faked blown engine
Shay Lawson
PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – It’s a scam where buyers distract you, slip oil into the hood of your car to make the engine look “blown,” then pressure you to sell your car for a fraction of what it’s worth.
Mark Haye, Palm Desert part-time resident, said 2 men tried it on him — but he caught on before they could cost him thousands.
“I didn’t fall for it,” Haye said. “Came home and we Googled it and sure enough, found out that it was a legitimate scam that was going on around the world.”
Haye, a retired security professional, said he listed his Mercedes for sale on Craigslist and quickly heard from a prospective buyer who claimed he was from Bosnia and wanted the car for his wife.
“I met him at a public space,” Haye said. “They ended up being 40 minutes late. Turns out that was intentional. Because they wanted my car to cool down.”
He said they met on Sunday, in the Sprouts parking lot in Indian Wells.
The buyer and another man — who claimed to be a Mercedes mechanic — began the inspection.
“They asked me to pop the hood,” Haye said. “The buyer takes me down the other side of the car and he wants to look in the trunk. While we were in the back of the car, his buddy comes back up here, squirts oil on the engine and takes the cap off of the coolant and puts some oil in that, shuts the hood and then says let’s take it for a ride.”
That’s when Haye got behind the wheel for a short test drive.
“By the time we’re pulling back into the public market area, the car is smoking,” Haye said.
He said the buyers then insisted the engine was “blown” and claimed the car was now only worth a few thousand dollars.
“Instead of paying me $13,500 for the car, they say they’ll buy it for 4 because the buddy can put the new engine in,” Haye said.
But something didn’t sit right with Haye.
When he checked the coolant himself, he said he realized the oil was only floating on top.
“I just said no, I’m not selling it,” Haye said.
Leslie, Haye’s wife, said she later searched online and found identical scams in videos.
“It just blew our minds,” she said.
A spokesperson from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said they’re “unaware of any increase in scams related to car buying/selling in the Coachella Valley.”
They provided safety advice for those thinking about buying/selling a vehicle:
Meet in public places when possible.
Have a friend or family member assist in keeping watch while you are distracted with the potential buyer.
Always get a vehicle history report. There are various services available that can provide you with history on the vehicle, including accidents, Title issues, Odometer discrepancies and number of owners.
Inspect the vehicle in daylight and good weather. Look for paint inconsistencies, rust, uneven tire wear and leaks beneath the vehicle.
Take a thorough test drive and check for acceleration and braking issues, transmission behavior and strange noises or vibrations. Test electronic components in the vehicle, such as the air conditioning, infotainment system, windows, lights, wipers, etc.
Have the vehicle inspected by a licensed mechanic. Their expertise will often help reveal problems that are not obvious.
Haye said he’s relieved he caught the scam before turning over the title — and hopes speaking out prevents someone else from losing money.
“I hate to see people getting ripped off,” Haye said. “I’m glad it happened to me and not somebody else.”