The county sheriff’s office has released a statement, warning residents of San Luis Obispo county over a scam that has had several victims over the past few months.
The sheriff’s office says this scam is done by a group of Romanian nationals across the state, and more recently has showed up in the county.
The group contact secondhand sellers for a vehicle on an online marketing platform, such as Facebook marketplace or Craigslist, and arrange to inspect and test drive the vehicle. When the group arrives, one distracts the seller while another pours oil on the engine, causing smoke to appear during the test drive, and making it look like there is a serious problem with the vehicle. The seller, not wanting to worry about potential expensive repairs, agrees to a price far below market value.
The sheriff’s office says this scam has had several victims in the county, from Atascadero to Los Osos and Nipomo.
