SAN DIEGO — A Craigslist scam cost a victim $14,000. It involves a classic car and authorities believe the thieves are most likely still posting bogus ads ad trying to steal people’s money.
The Craigslist ad for Howard Reitzes’ 1967 Camaro is listed for $14,000, but Howard didn’t post it. Another man Howard met posted it, and it was a scam.
The victim who thought he bought Howard’s Camaro does not want to be identified for this story. He tells CBS 8 that on March 22 he responded to a Craigslist ad for a 1967 Camaro listed for $14,000. He contacted the poster and set up a time to see the car in person. The person the victim spoke with said he was helping his father, who was battling cancer and going through chemotherapy. The father was not doing well, so the car was being sold.
When the victim got to Howard’s house the next day, he could see the Craigslist pictures were taken there. The victim says, Howard was in the garage with a mask and he didn’t want to bother him because the man from the Craigslist ad told him his father had just had a chemo treatment. He asked the man for the title and he saw Howard give it to him.
The victim says, “I checked the VIN number to make sure it matched the car. We agreed on a price of $14,000 and made a deal right then and there. We exchanged the $14,000 cash for the title and keys to the car. The man from Craigslist stated he had a bunch of parts that went with the car that were in his storage. He said he would run and get them and be back in 20 minutes."
The victim continued, “I called a tow truck to come pick up the Camaro because it supposedly didn't have brakes. We still didn't realize anything was out of the ordinary. We sat and talked to Mr. Howard while waiting for the tow truck for about 20 minutes. He told us about how he was battling cancer, which was true. We talked about the Camaro, life, racing, etc.. Very nice gentleman. Still not realizing anything was wrong. The tow truck arrived. We started to load the car, and Howard stated he still needed to be paid. That's when I felt sick and we all realized what had happened.”
The man from Craigslist had sold Howard’s car right in front of him.
Howard says, “It wasn’t until the tow truck actually arrived. I said- I’m not moving the car until I get paid and that’s when the whole thing unraveled.”
Howard has worked on his 1967 Camaro for years. He says, “The motor is completely custom. I designed and built it."
In February, Howard says a man knocked on his door and asked if he could buy it. Howard wasn’t interested but the two went out and looked at the car. After a lengthy conversation about cars, the man made Howard a good offer for it and Howard agreed. He says, “I’ve been going through some health issues and the car doesn’t get driven, so you know, if it goes to a good home, I’m ok. The guy seemed like an avid car guy and seemed like a very nice person.”
Three weeks ago, the man reached out to Howard again. He told him he was bringing an appraiser to look at the car so he could get a loan. When the man got to Howard’s house, he said he had his adult son with him. The man asked Howard and his son to stay in Howard’s garage so he could make the deal.
When the “appraiser” got to Howard’s house, the man kept him at the bottom of the driveway. Their only interaction was when the “appraiser” came to the car to look under the hood and Howard cranked the car for them.
The man told Howard he needed to text a copy of the pink slip to the bank. Then he tells Howard he’s going to the bank to get the cash for him. Once he left, Howard and the “appraiser” start talking. That’s when Howard finds out he’s not an appraiser, he’s there to buy the car from the man. And the victim gave the man from Craigslist $14,000. They never see that man again.
Howard says after he started speaking with the victim, he asked him, “‘Will the car make it to the bottom of the driveway with the brakes the way they are?’ I said, the brakes are perfect. They’re Corvette brakes. The car runs perfect, I don’t understand your question. And he said, ‘well your son…’ I said, my son lives in Lakewood. It was heartbreaking. He got pale. We started communicating and realizing the scheme had taken place.”
CBS8 spoke with local police. They say they are looking for the two men in the pictures the victim and his son took of the two men they thought were selling them the Camaro. They believe there could be more victims, and they believe they are still trying to scam people.
An SDPD Lieutenant said, “The brazenness of two suspects, playing two victims against each other without their knowledge. Being able to smooth talk victims is an indication that they are familiar with what they’re doing.”
It seemed like Howard and the victim did everything right. Even the low price of the Camaro listed on Craigslist was explained by the scammer as being because Howard had cancer and wasn’t doing well and he was selling it. So what do you do to try to keep this from happening to you?
The Lieutenant says, “Trust your gut. If the price is a lot lower than what it should normally be or would normally be then that’s a definitely a red flag.”
Howard recently found another Craigslist ad for another vintage Camaro. He says it’s a $70,000 Camaro listed for $14,999. Authorities say: Be aware this may very well be a scam.
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