Romanians trying to scam SLO County car resellers with a sneaky trick, sheriff says
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of an auto scam that has cropped up in San Luis Obispo County in the past couple of months.
According to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office, in recent months a group of Romanian nationals that have been perpetrating a scam in California have been spotted in San Luis Obispo County.
In the scam, the person pretends to be an interested vehicle buyer on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, according to the release.
The scammer will ask to inspect and test drive the vehicle, often bringing along two or three others posing as friends or mechanics, according to the release.
While one scammer distracts the seller, another pours oil in the engine, causing it to smoke during the test drive and appear to have a serious problem, according to the release.
The scammer then lowballs the seller, hoping that the seller will sell the car for far less than its actual value due to a fault, according to the release.
Since the start of 2025, at least two instances of the scam have been recorded by the Sheriff’s Office, according to the release.
On Jan. 18, a seller in Atascadero fell victim to the scam, accepting the low offer, according to a release. The same scam was attempted in Los Osos and Nipomo that same day.
On March 10, a seller in Los Osos was victimized by the scam, which was repeated the next day in Atascadero, according to the release.
If you believe you’ve been a victim of this scam, call the Sheriff’s Office Detective Division at 805-781-4500.
The Sheriff’s Office recommended the following tips to avoid falling victim to the scam:
- Meet potential buyers in a public area, such as a grocery store parking lot.
- Don’t go alone. Have a friend or family member with you during the meeting.
- Do not leave the potential buyer alone with your vehicle (this includes the test drive).
- If a mechanical issue is suspected, do not succumb to the pressure to drastically reduce the price until you have the vehicle inspected by a trusted mechanic.
- Be wary of significant “lowball” offers.
