SAN ANTONIO — The Bexar County Tax Assessor is sounding the alarm after three vehicle buyers have been scammed in just the last week by con artists using forged vehicle titles. Tax Assessor Albert Uresti says three buyers have now been swindled out of $10,000, $35,000, and $10,000 in cash.
The sellers posted the vehicles on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. They then met the buyer in person and showed them a vehicle title and a drivers license with matching information to convince the victim that the title legitimate. Unfortunately, both items were forged. Uresti that's common for a title scam.
"They are going to show you an ID that looks real and a title that looks real. You need to beware," Uresti said.
In two of the cases, Uresti said the scammers even went a step further and changed the VIN number visible on the front of the vehicle by placing another VIN number on top of it. When the victims tried to verify the vehicles weren't stolen, they used the wrong VIN number.
"The victims even contacted the police department and found the VIN number to show it was not stolen," Uresti said. "But again they (the scammers) are transposing everything so you don't know if that number belongs to that vehicle or another vehicle."
Unfortunately, Uresti said the victims later discovered the VIN numbers were wrong, the title was forged, and the vehicles had been stolen.
Uresti and his staff are now urging people to meet anyone selling a vehicle at a local tax office and verify the title at the office before handing over the money.
"If you don't know this person, bring the seller with you. We'll make sure that everything is done correctly," Uresti said. "If the seller won't come with you to our office then there may be a problem."
KENS 5 spoke to the victims of the first scam last week. George and Laura Martinez lost $10,000 and want other buyers to be wary as well.
"I don't want anyone in San Antonio to fall victim to this," Martinez said. "Especially people who are saving their money for their kids' education or saving their money for their house."
Uresti said his office is working with the San Antonio Police Department to help put together a case.