Category Archives: Television

Feds: Chesapeake car dealership rolled back at least 76 odometers, secured doctored titles

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A Chesapeake used-car dealership rolled back odometers in at least 76 vehicles, some of them by more than 100,000 miles, federal prosecutors allege in court documents. But state and federal officials declined this week to identify the business in question, citing an ongoing investigation involving the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and the U.S. Department of Justice. They said the only charges filed so far in connection with the alleged conspiracy involve a former employee of the city of Norfolk who they believe helped cover up the scheme. A DMV spokeswoman confirmed the dealership is “no longer open.” She added that her department’s standard procedure is “to make efforts to notify possible victims of suspected odometer fraud.” William Childress, the executive director of the board tasked with regulating the state’s new- and used-car dealerships, said he had not heard about the case and couldn’t comment. But he added that 76 incidents of odometer fraud linked to one dealership would be a “huge deal.” Steven Bazemore, 33, of Virginia Beach is expected to plead guilty May 26 in U.S. District Court in Norfolk to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Carteia Basnight, Bazemore’s attorney, did not return calls or emails seeking comment. According to court documents, Bazemore helped the unidentified business obtain falsified vehicle titles while working at a DMV Select branch in Norfolk. The scheme stretched from about January 2010 through September 2013, court documents said. Lori Crouch, a Norfolk city spokeswoman, said Bazemore worked for the city from Sept. 28, 2007, through Sept. 20, 2013. She declined to say whether he was fired or he quit. While working at the DMV Select branch, Bazemore was supposed to help customers register their vehicles and obtain Virginia motor vehicle titles, among other things. Court documents said the dealership’s owner … Continue Reading

Road Warrior: Low miles? Used car may be too good to be true

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Hardly anybody I know pays much attention to the odometer reading when buying a used car — unless, of course, it’s exceptionally high. After all, low mileage is usually the main qualifier when buying a pre-owned vehicle because it suggests the two of you will likely enjoy a few more good years before it gives you serious trouble. But judging by an arrest for odometer fraud in South Hackensack a week ago, ignoring a low-mileage reading might mark the beginning of serious trouble. “Odometer fraud? How’d they do that?” said Sal, an otherwise astute car owner I know from Barnegat. Like me, Sal thought rolling back odometers was the kind of crime that all but disappeared when computers were introduced in most cars around the end of the 20th century. Those of us who began driving when hood ornaments were still popular remember how amateur mechanics would break into the odometer housing behind the dashboard and roll back the miles by hand. Those days are long gone. And so is the housing, said Robert Foster, an officer in a consortium of state investigators called the National Odometer and Title Fraud Enforcement Association. “It’s easier to do now than it was before computerization,” said Foster. “With the right kind of knowledge and software, a mechanic can get into the onboard computer and reset the mileage to anything he wants.” Theoretically, it doesn’t always require a master mechanic to do this dirty work. “Diagnostic and computerized equipment can be purchased online,” said Maureen Parenta, a spokeswoman for the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. “And there are how-to blogs and Internet videos” that can easily be accessed. In the South Hackensack case, Alon Levin, owner of HQ Custom Design, was charged for allegedly using diagnostic equipment to access vehicle computers and lower odometer readings … Continue Reading

Feds: Chesapeake car dealership rolled back at least 76 odometers, secured doctored titles

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A Chesapeake used-car dealership rolled back odometers in at least 76 vehicles, some of them by more than 100,000 miles, federal prosecutors allege in court documents. But state and federal officials declined this week to identify the business in question, citing an ongoing investigation involving the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and the U.S. Department of Justice. They said the only charges filed so far in connection with the alleged conspiracy involve a former employee of the city of Norfolk who they believe helped cover up the scheme. A DMV spokeswoman confirmed the dealership is “no longer open.” She added that her department’s standard procedure is “to make efforts to notify possible victims of suspected odometer fraud.” William Childress, the executive director of the board tasked with regulating the state’s new- and used-car dealerships, said he had not heard about the case and couldn’t comment. But he added that 76 incidents of odometer fraud linked to one dealership would be a “huge deal.” Steven Bazemore, 33, of Virginia Beach is expected to plead guilty May 26 in U.S. District Court in Norfolk to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Carteia Basnight, Bazemore’s attorney, did not return calls or emails seeking comment. According to court documents, Bazemore helped the unidentified business obtain falsified vehicle titles while working at a DMV Select branch in Norfolk. The scheme stretched from about January 2010 through September 2013, court documents said. Lori Crouch, a Norfolk city spokeswoman, said Bazemore worked for the city from Sept. 28, 2007, through Sept. 20, 2013. She declined to say whether he was fired or he quit. While working at the DMV Select branch, Bazemore was supposed to help customers register their vehicles and obtain Virginia motor vehicle titles, among other things. Court documents said the dealership’s owner … Continue Reading

Hidden camera investigation uncovers used car odometer rollback

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HOUSTON – Texas is the second state in the nation for odometer fraud, according to data compiled by Carfax. It occurs when an odometer’s mileage is rolled back, or lowered, to make the vehicle appear to have fewer miles. “When you lower the mileage on a vehicle, you are artificially inflating the value of it and costing consumers thousands of dollars,” said Chris Basso, a spokesperson for Carfax. The vehicle history report website estimates that over 150,000 vehicles in Texas are suspected to have an odometer rollback. Chris Zimmerman and his wife are driving around in one of those vehicles. When Zimmerman and his wife had a third child, it was time for a minivan, so they went to Craigslist to shop for a reliable vehicle with low miles. n June, Zimmerman came across an ad from a man who claimed to be selling his wife’s van and only identified himself as Mike. He was selling a Honda Odyssey and advertising the vehicle had less than 80,000 miles. When Zimmerman agreed to meet the seller, he didn’t expect to end up in the parking lot of a gentleman’s club off the Gulf Freeway. Mike, as it turns out, was not a private seller. He actually worked for Texans Motors Inc. and sold cars out of the back lot of that club. Despite hesitation, Zimmerman purchased the van. But his wife didn’t like it, so they decided to resell it. That’s where the problems began. When Zimmerman took the van to a dealership to sell, they ran a Carfax and told him the van actually had 150,000 miles on it. “It was double what was on the odometer,” said Zimmerman. He drove it back to Texans Motors Inc. to try to trade it for another van that said showed 115,000 miles … Continue Reading

Sales of vehicles with rolled-back odometers lead to lengthy jail sentence

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A North York man has been sentenced to 450 days in prison after being found guilty of odometer tampering. Mehran Amini received the longest sentence ever handed out in Ontario for illegal vehicle sales, according to a statement from the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC). The statement said Amini was charged after OMVIC investigators discovered he’d purchased 30 vehicles from Western Canada, and shipped them to Ontario. A North York man has been sentenced to 450 days in prison after being found guilty of odometer tampering and ‘curbsiding.’ Amini then rolled back the odometers on the vehicles, which were mostly late-model pick-up trucks with high mileage, investigators said. “They are vehicles that could be near end-of-life, but they were paying huge dollars — $30 to $40,000 — for these vehicles,” OMVIC Director of Communications Terry O’Keefe told CTV Toronto’s Pat Foran. “The warranties were all canceled.” O’Keefe said some of the odometers had been rolled back as much as 150,000 kilometres. The vehicles were sold to residents of the Toronto area, including Sean Wedge. “Buying this truck was a financial disaster,” Wedge told CTV Toronto. “I thought it had 52,000 kilometres which it had 180,000 kilometres. I had to do more than $22,000 in repairs.” Amini’s case was heard by a judge who found him guilty of violations of the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act and the Consumer Protection Act, including “curbsiding.” Curbsiding is the illegal practice of reselling vehicles without having the registered title to a car being sold. “Evidence presented in court showed Amini placed ads in online marketplaces posing as a private seller, though he told some buyers he was a dealer, and that he used multiple aliases,” OMVIC’s statement said. Amini was convicted and sentenced to 450 days in prison, but is appealing his sentence. Records showed … Continue Reading

Arrest in Odometer Tampering Case in Rutherford County

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RUTHERFORDTON, N.C. — A Rutherford County man is facing charges for possible odometer tampering after a month-long investigation. Agents with the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles’ License and Theft Bureau, along with the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, the Forest City Police and Spindale Police, arrested Mitchel Craig Padgett, 20, at his home in Forest City on Monday. Padgett was charged with six felony counts of Unlawful Change of Mileage, seven felony counts of Altering a Certificate of Title, eight felony counts of Common Law Forgery and seven felony counts of Aiding and Abetting Notary Fraud. He was taken to the Rutherford County Jail and held under $140,000 secured bond. License and Theft Inspector Aaron Ellenburg led the investigation. In addition, a search warrant was executed at Padgett’s residence and at AACE Automotive, a vehicle repair garage he owned and operated at 667 US 221-A in Forest City, by License and Theft Lt. James Walston and inspectors Aaron Carver and Charity Brown. License and Theft agents are continuing to investigate the possibility of additional victims.

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Three arrested in Sarasota for Craigslist car scam

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SARASOTA, Fla. — Three people are behind bars in Sarasota after being accused of manipulating car odometers to make the vehicles appear more valuable. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office announced the arrest of Denis Kutsayev, Tamara Kutsayeva and Renat Kutsayev. They’re accused of advertising used cars on Craigslist and changing their odometers and other features to up their value before selling them to unsuspecting consumers. An investigation by FHP revealed that they removed “the word rebuilt from the title of salvaged vehicles, altering the mileage on the title or rolling back the odometer. On one occasion, one of the defendants allegedly changed the odometer mileage of a vehicle from 117,000 miles to 46,335 miles before selling it on Craigslist.” Someone changing an odometer can be a hard problem to catch. The state recommends looking at service records that show the vehicle’s mileage; check the physical condition of the carpet, break pedals and seats; look for scratches on the odometer; and, have a reputable mechanic to check out the vehicle. Mike Modha almost fell victim to a different odometer changing scam back in November. He wanted to buy his nephew a used car and turned to Craigslist. “We thought we really got a good deal,” he said. But, that was one ride he wish he never took. Originally, the car ran around over 200,000 miles and they had changed everything on the odometer. The sellers listed the 2010 Toyota Corolla on Craiglist with a mileage just over 30,000 miles. And, the car had previously been totaled. “They repaired that and put it in a condition as if you can’t even imagine,” Modha said. “They were selling it to me for $8,750. This incident happened back in November and the dealers were arrested after Modha became suspicious and alerted authorities. As for this week’s round up, the suspect faces charges of title fraud and odometer fraud. Denis Kutsayev and Tamara Kutsayeva also face charges for engaging … Continue Reading

DOL accuses auto dealer of violating odometer law

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The Department of Licensing is accusing an auto dealer in Lynnwood of breaking a Washington law meant to protect consumers from odometer fraud. If you’re buying a used car, you want to know exactly how many miles it’s been driven, which is why Washington state has strict laws against odometer fraud. The Department of Licensing is accusing a dealer in Lynnwood of breaking one of those laws. About two years ago, Lauryn Bates bought a used 2003 Subaru from Car Craft Auto Sales. “I went in at 19, limited income, no credit history, and they were the only people I knew would finance me,” Bates said of the company that advertises financing guarantees on its website. Bates called KING 5 because she suspected Car Craft Auto had altered her odometer and not disclosed it at the time of purchase. “I was naive and I fully believe they took advantage of that 100% thinking I wouldn’t ever figure it out,” Bates said. Bates drove the Outback for two years and only discovered a problem when she tried to sell it. A prospective and astute buyer pulled a vehicle history report, which revealed a huge discrepancy with her mileage. Today her odometer reads 163,954, but that can’t be right because three years ago the car was recorded as having 181,289 during a vehicle service, according to that vehicle report. The buyer backed out, leaving Bates distraught. “I have a car that has nothing, zero value whatsoever. I can’t sell it to anybody,” Bates said. We called the Department of Licensing which investigated. The DOL determined Car Craft Auto had swapped out the original odometer for one with lower mileage. KING 5 also obtained an eBay receipt for a used odometer with Car Craft owner Gus Trefault’s name on it. The DOL believes … Continue Reading

Missouri Patrol Seeking Information In Consumer Fraud Investigation

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Missouri State Highway Patrol have been investigating a series of consumer frauds related to the sale of vehicles by a KC couple. The couple has been known to purchase a vehicle, typically from Craigslist. The couple will then alter the mileage on the vehicle and re-sell it on Craigslist, posing as the owners of the vehicle. The investigation revealed approximately 48 vehicle purchases/sales within the past year; iis possible not all the transactions involve an odometer rollback. Investigators are still trying to determine the potential number of victims. The suspects do not use their names during transactions, and typically use disposable pay-as-you-go cell phones. The man is approximately 5’ 9”, medium build, and has an “East Coast” accent. If present, the woman typically stays in a green Nissan Quest minivan with their children while the transactions are conducted. If you or someone you know has purchased a vehicle from these individuals, please contact Missouri State Highway Patrol Corporal Nate Bradley, at 816-622-0800. Original Article: http://www.kmbz.com/Missouri-Patrol-Seeking-Information-In-Consumer-Fr/22147951

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Lutz man arrested for selling cars with altered odometers

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LUTZ, Fla. – One Lutz man thought he was getting a deal on a used car, but he nearly got taken for a ride.Deputies said a self-proclaimed car dealer was selling people vehicles with altered odometers. According to the sign out front, Carmona Service Corporation will do body and mechanic work on your car.  But on Wednesday, 64-year-old Pedro Carmona was arrested and charged with 11 counts, including tampering with the odometers on four vehicles. Just last week, Mahesh Modha said he saw an ad on Craigslist for a Toyota Corolla LE with 31,000 miles for less than $10,000. “We were ready to pay cash also, but it turned out we were scammed,” Modha said. Modha said Pedro Carbona and his nephew Gio met him to sell the car. Modha paid $1,000, got a receipt and promised to pay the rest. “They were claiming to be a dealer actually, you know Gio said my uncle is a dealer, so I said I normally trust dealer because dealer had a license,” Modha said. Carmona is charged with  four counts of selling vehicles with tampered odometers and selling cars without a license. Modha said a Carfax report helped him figure out the truth about that Corolla. “It came out 121,000 miles which was already reported in 2012 and now the original miles on the car was over 200,000 miles,” Modha said. Carmona is now out of jail on bond and the Director of Consumer Protection for Hillsborough County said, you need to vet your mechanics and body shop owners. “If they have a current license, they’ve been in business for a while and they have no complaints against them that’s one of the best ways consumers can look into whether or not they’re going to have a good experience with that business,” Eric Olsen, division director … Continue Reading