It turns out that an ad for a Porsche with a price too good to be true was.
Unfortunately, the caveat came a little too late for the emptor, who only realized he’d been scammed once a rental company blocked his driveway, demanding the return of its low-mileage luxury sports utility vehicle.
Court records obtained by The Signal detail yet another investigation into an online purchase gone awry, this time involving a transaction that started on Craigslist.
The click-bait advertisement that snagged the unsuspecting buyer promised a 2023 Porsche Macan T, one owner, only 14,000 miles on the engine and a 261-horsepower, 6-cylinder automatic engine with all-wheel drive, for $41,000.
During the course of negotiations that took place over the phone, the price was whittled down further, to a final asking of $35,000 in cash.
After all, the suspect reportedly told the victim, he was going through a divorce and needed the money quickly, according to court records.
After the two parties met at the parking lot of the Hilton Garden Inn in Valencia, the victim took a test drive, and the suspect then showed the victim the vehicle registration in his name, which matched the vehicle’s license and registration number. The suspect presented the paperwork that indicated the vehicle was registered to his address in Granada Hills, according to investigators.
The car regularly retails for around $53,000, according to recent comparison searches online, making the purchase arranged in April on The Old Road a seemingly excellent deal for the victim, who drove the vehicle back to Bakersfield.
Until, of course, representatives of Rex Luxury Car Rental showed up in his driveway, along with officers from the Bakersfield Police Department.
The vehicle ultimately was impounded and investigators are still working to track down the man who claimed to have owned the vehicle.
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station officials did not respond to request for comment Tuesday as to whether the suspect has been arrested or charged.
The SCV Sheriff’s Station offers a safe meeting space for parties who would like to meet up for online sales. For more information about the Santa Clarita Safe Exchange Zone, contact the Crime Prevention Unit at 661-260-4000.
