Press Release
For Immediate Release
March 5, 2009

Washington D.C.
FBI National Press Office
(202) 324-3691

Cyber Used Vehicle Scammers Claim U.S. Military Connections

The FBI continues to receive reports of individuals victimized while attempting to purchase vehicles via the Internet. Victims find attractively priced vehicles advertised at different Internet classified ad sites. Most of the scams include some type of third-party vehicle protection program to ensure a safe transaction. After receiving convincing e-mails from the phony vehicle protection program, the victims are directed to send either the full payment, or a percentage of the payment, to the third-party agent via a wire payment service. No vehicles are delivered to the victims.

In a new twist, scammers are posing as members of the United States military. The fictitious military personnel in the scam have either been sent to a foreign country to improve military relations, or they need to sell a vehicle quickly and cheaply because of their upcoming deployment to either Iraq or Afghanistan.

“Beware of these cyber used vehicle salesmen posing as members of the U.S. military. Scammers are always trying new things and, as always, if any deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is,â€