Ohio Man’s Dream Truck Turns to Dust
It seems like owning a Ram pickup truck shouldn’t be a crime. But for one unfortunate Ohio resident, purchasing one certainly led to a heap of legal trouble.
John Turco recently learned this the hard way after buying a used Ram truck from Facebook Marketplace. Two weeks after the purchase, while attending a doctor’s appointment, he was met with a startling surprise: six police officers awaiting him outside the building.
Image of Ram Truck
How the Nightmare Unfolded
Like many people, Turco was browsing Facebook Marketplace when he came across the white Ram truck. He liked what he saw and decided to inquire. The seller had a clean Tennessee title, which seemed to be in order. Turco also ran three VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) checks, all of which came back clear.
He went a step further and called the Dodge dealership in Tennessee where the truck had been serviced. “And it lined up when I called the Dodge dealer, gave him the VIN number and they said, ‘Yes, we serviced that truck in August of ’24,’ and I said, ‘OK sounds good, everything’s lining up,'” Turco explained. After being approved for a $28,000 loan, Turco met the man in Indiana, finalized the deal and drove home his new Ram.
The Truth Behind the Purchase
After purchasing the truck, and obtaining insurance, Turco went to the Butler County Clerk of Courts to process his out-of-state title. But he soon discovered that he had been duped.
It turned out that Turco had unwittingly purchased a ‘cloned’ truck. This scam involves car thieves stealing a vehicle and replacing the VIN stickers with those from a valid, un-stolen model of the same make.
Image illustrating the rise of car theft
In this case, the dealership in Tennessee had the legitimate VIN. After discovering someone had applied for an Ohio title using the VIN, they contacted the police.
Left with Nothing
Unfortunately, this story has a devastating ending for Turco. Not only did he lose the truck, but he is still responsible for the $28,000 loan he took out to buy it. This is despite the fact he was an innocent victim of the scam. “I’m a victim now that my credit is going to get killed, or I owe somebody $30,000, and I got nothing,” Turco told reporters.
Image of loan
That means he now has to pay $450 a month for the next five years. This doesn’t include the money he spent on an oil change, hard top, new sideboards, and BMV costs.
“It’s mind-boggling is what it is,” Turco lamented. “Please be extremely careful when buying cars with out-of-state titles – crimes of this nature are on the rise.”
