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TwitterPeople hunting for cars on the Internet need to be cautious, the Nebraska State Patrol said after receiving several complaints from Nebraskans who have been scammed.
Fraudulent auto-sale ads have been appearing on Craigslist, an Internet site that lists classified ads. The cars in question are listed for sale by out-of-state owners.
Investigators with the patrol’s auto fraud division say several Nebraskans have lost money because of Craigslist scams. The victims have provided payment for vehicles only to discover the vehicles do not exist.
The people placing the ads appear to be Nigerian scammers operating overseas, the patrol said.
“These are tough situations for the individuals involved,” said Gene True, an auto fraud investigator with the patrol. “They are out a good deal of money, and because the individuals they were dealing with are out of the country, there are very few options for prosecution.”
For more information on scams and identity theft, people may visit the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office website at www.ago.state.ne.us or call the attorney general’s consumer protection division at 800-727-6432.
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