TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW) – The Kansas Highway Patrol warns that people should exercise caution when buying a vehicle online through places like Facebook Marketplace.
Last month, a western Kansas driver purchased a pickup truck with cash from someone over the app. When they took it in to be registered, it turned out to have counterfeit VIN numbers and had been stolen.
Troopers say it’s happened again, this time in Topeka. A 2020 1794 Special Edition Tundra was brought in for an inspection to get a Kansas title.
KHP says the troopers conducting the inspection noticed some inconsistencies between the out-of-state title and the vehicle. After thoroughly searching the truck, they determined that the VIN and other identifying markers had been replaced with counterfeits.
It was actually a 2020 SR5 Tundra that had been stolen earlier this year in Colorado. The truck was listed on Facebook Marketplace for an extremely discounted price, and the seller only took cash offers.
Always be cautious of something being sold for a discounted price, especially if the seller will only accept a payment that can’t be traced, such as cash. Remember, if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
The Kansas Highway Patrol has tips on avoiding being scammed when purchasing a vehicle, which you can find here.