The Ontario County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a vehicle sales scam tied to online marketplaces, including Facebook Marketplace.
Deputies said the case centers on fraudulent vehicle transactions that have left at least one local buyer at a financial loss.
Investigators have identified a case in the town of Bloomfield involving the sale of a vehicle that was grossly misrepresented and had little to no value. Authorities said the buyer ultimately lost money as a result.
In one documented incident, a vehicle was sold with an active lien that was not disclosed at the time of sale. The undisclosed lien led to added financial and legal problems for the purchaser.
The individual at the center of the investigation has previously been arrested multiple times in other counties for similar alleged fraudulent vehicle sales. Deputies said the suspect is known to have used multiple aliases when conducting transactions.
The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a similar scam — including cases involving undisclosed liens, difficulty contacting a seller after payment, or major misrepresentation of a vehicle’s condition — to contact local law enforcement.
The Ontario County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division is handling the case.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].