By Steven Symes 
An unidentified truck buyer in Colorado lost their new pickup and the money used to pay for it all thanks to a sophisticated re-steal scam. We’ve seen these before where not only do thieves sell a stolen vehicle to an unsuspecting buyer, concealing that it’s not legitimate, they also come back to steal the stolen ride back.
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At least this time the victim was alerted to the scam before the thieves could sneak over to the house and steal the truck back. However, in the process police confiscated the pickup. The victim not only lost the vehicle but also the money paid for it.
The deception was detected after the victim flew from Colorado to Texas to take advantage of a deal on a truck. After inspecting the vehicle, its VIN tags, license plates, and the title, the buyer felt confident everything was in order and paid the asking price.
Only one key fob was presented to the buyer as the seller explained the other one was lost.
However, after returning to Colorado and attempting to register the truck there, officials noticed something was off., reports KTVZ. An investigator looked into the pickup and determined the title was washed and the license plates were clones. Further inspection of the vehicle uncovered a hidden GPS tracker, presumably for the seller to come and re-steal the truck.
Police in Texas confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen late last month. Because the insurance company paid the owner for the vehicle, it now belongs to the insurer. Obviously, you don’t get to keep a stolen truck, even if you paid a lot of money for it. But, tracking down a criminal who doesn’t want to be found and getting your money back presents some serious problems.
There are ways to detect these scams. First of all, if you find an incredible deal, be suspicious. Also, run a vehicle history report yourself using the VIN, don’t just look at a printout the seller is offering. You can also use the National Insurance Crime Bureau VINCheck tool online for free.
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