A local car dealership owner is out of nearly $89,000 after falling victim to an elaborate wire fraud scheme involving a luxury Ferrari.
Greeneville Police responded to the dealership on Bachman Drive on Monday, where the owner reported the sophisticated scam. The incident began the previous week when the victim attempted to purchase a Ferrari California T from what appeared to be Highway 60 Motor Sales, a legitimate dealership based in Kenyon, Minnesota. The scammer went to extreme lengths to establish credibility, providing convincing documentation such as a Carfax report, vehicle title and dealer license Believing the transaction to be routine, the victim then wired $88,965 to a bank and account as instructed.
The red flags only appeared when the luxury sports car failed to arrive on schedule. While Highway 60 Motor Sales is a legitimate business, it appears the man the victim was talking to was actually impersonating the actual owner. When the delivery fell behind schedule, the victim contacted the designated transport driver who offered a series of excuses for the delay. When pushed for more specific details, the so-called transport driver grew hostile and hung up the phone.
The victim realized he had been defrauded when all lines of communication were abruptly cut. Subsequent calls to the delivery driver went straight to a voicemail system featuring an entirely different name.
Authorities have classified the case as Wire and Computer Manipulation Fraud. The investigation remains open as detectives work with financial institutions to trace the wired funds.
