Investigation Unfolds as Scammers Trick Car Sellers. See the Video.

A Corona man said he was scammed by three men who tampered with his car, tricking him into selling it for a lower price than what it was worth. This bizarre car-selling scam has developed in Southern California, with a shady crew duping unsuspecting sellers into undervaluing their cars by offering them cash. In this elaborate con, the criminals intentionally damage the automobiles up for inspection, forcing the sellers to drastically lower their asking prices.

By distracting and manipulating the sellers, these con artists are able to tamper with the cars while the victims are distracted. Surveillance footage exposed their swindle after they were caught vandalizing an SUV, which led to the exposure of a string of other similar schemes that had been carefully staged. This gang frequently goes after auto ads posted on websites like Craigslist. Once they've shown interest and gone to see the automobile in person, they'll do some little damage to make it look like it has major mechanical issues.

Corona homeowner Art Hernandez fell prey to them when he sought to sell his well cared-for 2002 Toyota Highlander. The audience seemed engaged, and as they were watching, Hernandez was shocked to discover serious faults, including oil leaking and a blinking "check engine" light, with his previously flawless vehicle. Hernandez, bewildered and startled, failed to instantly recognize the swindle. However, when he reviewed the security tape, he saw that the automobile had been sabotaged while he was being distracted by one of the con artists.

They then made an absurdly low offer of $400 to purchase the now-apparently-inoperable vehicle by exaggerating the damage done to the engine in order to take advantage of the group's phony technician. Hernandez fell for their scheme, and it wasn't until more victims contacted him on Craigslist after identifying the fraudsters from the photos he posted that he realized the full depth of their dishonesty.

Carlos Salazar, a resident of Chatsworth, too lost a lot of money as a result of this gang's deceit. In many ways, his story was identical to Hernandez's, right down to his ability to identify the con artists in the joint surveillance footage.

Hernandez has supplied extensive evidence, including surveillance footage and specifications about their van, and the participating law enforcement agencies are working diligently to catch these perpetrators. More witnesses are needed to help the authorities in their investigation.

This situation and unfortunate trend should serve as a caution to anybody involved in a transaction to always be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary or suspicious and to report it immediately.

With scam techniques evolving along with technology, it is imperative to maintain constant watchfulness and take prompt action to prevent fraud schemes and make sure those responsible are prosecuted.