Authorities are on the hunt for victims of a classic car sales scam run nationwide by two brothers, defrauding people out of millions. If you or someone you know tried buying from Specialty Vehicles out of Tulsa, Oklahoma or Bonucci Auto out of Arizona, then you likely were victimized by these men and you might be able to get your lost money back.
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According to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Valentin Virlizanu and Vasile Virlizanu have been running a Moldovan auto scam. That’s when someone advertises a vehicle for sale online, you pay for it, and they never deliver it, disappearing into thin air.
These brothers were collecting money from unwitting victims after taking photos of real classic cars at legitimate dealerships around the country. They would then post the photos on Facebook Marketplace, including providing the real VIN, collect the money for payment, say they shipped the vehicles, then close up the fake Facebook account, Road and Track reports.
We’ve seen different versions of this sort of scam over and over again. This is why before you ever send money to anyone after you see an online ad for a vehicle, you need to do due diligence and investigate who they are and if they’re legitimate.
We could list off how to do that, but sadly the scammers read these articles and use the info to outsmart their victims.
The surefire way to sidestep these traps is to show up in person, look at the vehicle closely, then hand over the cash and take the car yourself on the spot.
While Valentin has been arrested and let go on a $25,000 bond in North Carolina, authorities don’t know where his brother Vasile is. They need the public’s help to track him down, arrest him, then let the guy bond out and hopefully show up to his court hearing.
Anyone wanting to report they have been victimized by these two can call North Carolina SBI Coastal District Office at 910-939-6200.
Image via North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation/Facebook
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