CLEVELAND — A Virginia man is warning others after he says he lost thousands of dollars trying to buy his dream car online from someone who said they were a car dealer in the Cleveland area.
Jeffery Carr had been saving for years to purchase a classic car — something he has wanted since he was a teenager.
“I feel like I've been kind of striving for this ever since, you know, I was able to drive,” Carr said.
His dad collected them.
It felt like fate when he finally found one that a car broker had posted online. The car was the same model as his father’s first car — and at $22,000, the price was significantly lower than the typical $50,000 price tag.
Carr said the broker provided everything he needed to feel confident in the deal — contracts through DocuSign, a bill of sale, company documents and dozens of photos.
Carr took out a loan and transferred the money. But when the car was supposed to arrive — it never did.
“I took the day off work thinking this was going to be a miracle day, and it never showed,” Carr said. “I must have emailed and called them 100 times that day, and it was just total radio silence.”
The website the broker used disappeared, along with Carr’s money. He later had to cash out his 401(k) to cover the loss.
Carr’s story is one of many scams local car experts have seen.
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Abe Hamed, who owns Inshi Automotive, buys cars to fix up and sell. He says scammers are getting smarter — but there are key red flags buyers should look out for.
“It’s a very critical thing to speak with or meet the seller directly. Try to deal with cash,” Hamed said.
Hamed advises researching the seller, reading reviews and Googling the seller’s name. He also warns buyers to be skeptical of sellers who post multiple ads for the same car.
He recommends asking yourself one key question: “Why is this a scam?” instead of assuming it’s not.
Even small details in photos can be a giveaway.
“If you look at photo backgrounds, you’ll say… hey, why are there mountains in the background? We’re in Ohio — there’s not mountains in Ohio,” Hamed said.
Experts say one of the best ways to avoid falling victim to a scam is to ask for key documents before transferring any money.
Hamed says buyers should always ask for the VIN number and vehicle title — and run a report through services like Carfax to verify the car’s history. While the reports typically cost, he says that’s a small price compared to what scammers could steal.
“I’d rather lose $40 than $20,000. You take the $40 as a blessing,” Hamed said.
Carr still hasn’t found the person who stole his money. Now, he's sharing his story in hopes of saving others from the same fate.
“I guess, you know, in summation… if the old saying, if it's too good to be true, it probably is,” Carr said.
