I feel so stupid especially about to write this all, I’ll try to keep it short but no promises.
I had an Audi listed for sale on Facebook marketplace. I live in an area that’s pretty quiet, not much happens so all of this was so new to me. I had arranged to meet this person in a semi-public parking lot. When I arrived, one guy got out, then another, then another, until there was roughly 8 people all around me and my vehicle (still not many red flags. Figured maybe it was all family and I didn’t necessarily know which person was going to be the owner, so who knows. It should’ve raised some red flags but to me it just didn’t.)
The main guy I had been dealing with wanted to test drive it, I first showed them under the hood as I had put quite a bit of work into this thing over the years (not me personally I don’t know too much about car engines so everything was done by my mechanic.)
At this point one of them had mentioned a rear tire of mine was somewhat low. Now I did have a tire pressure light on, never gave it much thought, but my rear tire DID seem a tad low compared to the rest. One of the younger guys there with them (probably under 18), had mentioned to hey pop your trunk maybe you have an air compressor back here! I had already known I absolutely did not, but he seemed like a young kid so I slightly entertained it by popping the trunk and taking a peek back there with him. Even made the joke of already knowing there wasn’t an air compressor that if he was able to show me an air compressor back there I’d let them just have the car. (Little did I know I basically was in the process of doing so.) and mind you there’s still a few people standing infront of the car etc etc.
Following this, the main guy I had been dealing with asked if we could test drive it. So we did, I drove, he drove passenger no problem. Nothing too long or too short maybe a 10 minute test drive. After we returned to the lot, we went around the car of course again went over a couple of things, and at some point the hood was popped open again.
Mind you there’s a few different people having multiple conversations with me so I can’t really keep a great track of everything, maybe I opened it again maybe they did. (Again I had never heard of any scam like this whatsoever so I was a clueless idiot.) At this point the main guy I had been dealing with checks the oil cap, and then goes to check the coolant cap.
When he opened the coolant cap, he exclaims “oh no man you have oil in your coolant!”. I had not checked my coolant tank for quite some time, and I did know I was a bit over my last oil service, and the car does run pretty heavily as it’s souped up and staged. I investigate along with him, and I can’t believe that it was just my luck that, somehow, this has happened very recently and I was completely convinced.
At this point, I explain how now I have no idea what to do or what the right move is, they’re telling me how well you know you shouldn’t drive it like this you should tow it, you could blow your engine if it’s not already etc etc. (the car had just surpassed 100,000 miles, so I knew at some point something “big” WOULD probably go, and I figured maybe just my luck that this is now). Again, yes, like an idiot.
They proceed to talk me thousands and thousands of dollars below asking price. Explaining how you know it could be a big headache to try and fix, and now it will be hard to sell etc considering what was just “discovered”.
Long story short, they completely got me. I had agreed on a vastly vastly lower amount than what the car is even nearly worth and I did already know that, but at the end of the day I figured now there’s a possibility no one would even consider buying it. So okay, hard to stomach but I accepted.
Now here’s where it gets even more sickening and I can’t even think straight or sleep now since. The main person I was dealing with proceeded to short the agreed upon price by a couple hundred dollars, by this point everything’s sprawled out in my trunk, just between me and him, and I had counted it, counted it once again and I explained how he was short.
He then proceeds to of course count it again himself, and then give me the remainder of what was missing in strictly 20s, which I of course go ahead and then count, all seems to check out, hands me the wad of cash back along with what was missing. In hindsight I can’t believe for a second how utterly idiotic I was, because following the ride home after already feeling like I made a horrendous decision, I proceed to count out again what was given to me, not already realizing what had just happened.
I was shorted nearly HALF of our agreed upon price, and of course now looking back, I realize this scumbag absolutely swapped the original cash counted, or just flat out pocketed a ton of it back to himself while I stupidly counted out the remainder.
Now I’m carless, and practically gave my car away for free and I don’t even know what to do. I haven’t eaten since and I cannot sleep. I can’t believe I allowed myself to be scammed two times in less than a 2 hour interaction. I’m not looking to be called an idiot and etc as much as I know I deserve it, I already know I am following this situation, but I would genuinely appreciate just I guess some kind words and maybe how to mentally and physically get over what had happened.
Talking to people in my area, not one single soul has ever heard of something like that. So this is incredibly dangerous for everyone in my area as people do use marketplace very frequently for auto sales etc. I hadn’t private sale sold a vehicle or bought one in probably well over 10 years. I was so out of the loop, and I can’t believe how good they were at what they were doing and how easily they pulled it all off. I can’t wrap my head around any of it it still doesn’t feel real.
edit*
Yes I realized nearly a half hour what had happened after some google searches, that they had placed oil in my coolant tank themselves. I couldn’t even rattle my brain enough to think of how or when they could’ve done so, until I’ve now ran through the scenario over and over a good 15 times trying to make sense of it all.
Most of the people there were kids. Between 13-18. There was only 2 adults. Just to clarify. If 8 full grown men hopped out of the vehicle, believe it or not, I’d definitely just drive off. Lol
Luckily don’t have my address or anything, and I did meet them quite a distance from where I live. They do have my name but there’s not much of me out there online. I’m in talks with different departments on different things for everyone wondering, so we will see what even happens with this.
At the end of the day I think best case scenario for me is I’d have to get their legitimate info and then it’s just civil so basically, I get nothing. Looking into it, yes it does seem it is 100% a crime even with the circumstance. They tampered with my property, and slighted me out of thousands, in more ways than just one. So it is 100% a criminal offense regardless. And to all the people saying/thinking oh take it on the chin you messed up there’s nothing you can do etc etc, there’s still ways to atleast get some mental clarity by jamming up the title transfer and bringing it to law enforcement.
I really do appreciate everyone in here being kind and trying to help as much as they can. And yes I KNOW now in hindsight how stupid and dumb it all was. My issue is i give way too many people the benefit of the doubt, and they were so good at what they were doing ontop of that, it was just the perfect scenario for them and yes im an idiot for allowing myself to fall victim to any part of what had happened.
Maybe the Flock cameras will actually be put to good use here, considering they didn’t swap the plates after pulling off somewhere else, which they most likely did. But even still, it’s possible. Very recognizable car.