Learn how to avoid being a victim after York County resident loses more than $30,000
York County Press Release
YORK – York County Sheriff Paul Vrbka is very concerned about a scam in which a York County resident was scammed out of more than $30,000 as he thought he was purchasing a piece of heavy equipment from a dealership in another state. He’s offering a warning and some ideas about how people can maybe avoid becoming a victim.
He explained how the individual thought he was purchasing the equipment from a real business.
“He saw the equipment offered for sale, online, and that it was being sold from a reputable company with a real name,” Sheriff Vrbka said. “The thing, here, though, was that the phone number was not associated with the real business and when he called to talk to someone, he was actually talking with the scammer. Plus, the business was not located where online information said it was supposed to be. Anyway, he wired the money to an account . . . and because it was a scam, the money is now gone and no equipment was delivered or able to be picked up. The equipment doesn’t exist and the funds have disappeared.”
The sheriff said an investigator with his office is currently working with the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) in this matter.
“There are some steps that people can take ahead of time, to make sure these types of sales offerings are legitimate and that businesses are real, that they are where they say they are,” Sheriff Vrbka said. “We just hate to see people lose money like this, it’s just awful.”
He suggests that if a person thinks they are going to purchase an item or equipment from a real business or dealership in another location (a place they are unfamiliar with), that they double check to make sure the business is physically located where they say they are. “This could be done by calling the chamber of commerce in that area, or maybe even using Google Earth to take a look at the address. And in using Google Earth, maybe they could also see what businesses are nearby and then give those businesses a phone call to ask if the company they are dealing with are next door like they say they are.
“Check the phone number to make sure it is a number that is connected with that legitimate business, before even calling it,” Sheriff Vrbka said. “All of these things will take a little extra time, but it would be so much better to spend the time now, making sure, before you lose thousands and thousands of dollars.
“I think the biggest thing to do is just really do your homework, be really thorough, to make sure you know exactly who you are dealing with, that they are who they say they are, that they truly are selling the product, vehicle or equipment they say they are,” Sheriff Vrbka.
He also noted that after someone has already become a victim, it’s often very difficult for anyone to ever recover the lost funds.
