The Canton, OH, office of the Better Business Bureau is alerting consumers to a West Virginia-based company it said is ripping off would-be buyers of high-end automobiles.
A BBB Scam Tracker submission and other complaints indicate Woolie Auto Sales and Trucking in the Fayetteville, WV, area has collected up to $22,000 from several customers interested in signing an online purchase agreement.
That’s when they say all communication with the company ends.
To add to the confusion, there is a legitimate truck sales business by that name in Fayetteville.
The BBB said the Woolie it is investigating is using an internet bot site to make older advertisements look authentic.
The BBB said a Google search can authenticate such an ad.
Here are more tips from the BBB:
Watch out for prices that are too good to be true. It is probably a scam. Scammers know that used cars are in high demand and will tempt shoppers with great deals.
See the car before you buy it. Always make an in-person inspection and take a test drive before you purchase a vehicle.
Do not give in to threats or pressure. Resist the urge to act immediately. Always take time to consider a purchase, especially a vehicle that costs thousands of dollars.
Do not wire funds for a car. Scammers often ask for wired funds because they are hard to track, and there is no way to get your money back. It is best to make large purchases by check or credit card.
Do not believe everything you see. Scammers are great at mimicking official seals, fonts and other details. Just because a website or email looks official does not mean it is. For example, if a business displays a BBB Accredited Business seal, you can verify its legitimacy by going to BBB.org and looking up the company yourself.
Abby Andrews