Bend man seeking an excavator loses $12K to scammer

According to a report to BBB Scam Tracker, a Bend man who tried to buy an excavator listed for sale on craigslist lost $12,000 to Montana Truck Experts, a fraudulent vehicle distribution website that posed as a legitimate escrow business based out of Montana. But thanks to a joint effort between the Montana Attorney General and Better Business Bureau Northwest & Pacific, the website was taken down.

Montana Truck Experts, also known as Montana Truck Center, claimed to be located in Billings, Bozeman and Columbus, the Better Business Bureau. The business advertised items such as boats, excavators and food trucks under retail value.

They directed consumers to wire money to a third party financial institution escrow company until the consumer received the purchase. However, after the business received the money. they ceased contact with the customer and never delivered on the product.  Eventually, consumers learned they wired money into a personal bank account, not to a licensed escrow company.  

The Bend man told BBB, “The company had an ad on craigslist for an 8060 JCB excavator and was supposedly dealing with Robert Sofiano, listed in the company sales team.

“I was continually contacted with photos of the machine and emails of payment methods. I wired the money to a supposed escrow account set up by this company at JP Morgan Chase. After they received the money, I was informed the delivery date would be 11/7/17 between 10-12 am. At 1:00 pm, I tried to contact them again and got no response but busy signals and no return emails.”

To take down the initial Montana Truck Experts website, the Montana attorney general reached out to BBB for help after their request to take down the website was denied, the organization said. BBB Northwest & Pacific was able to have the website removed, thanks in part to assistance from BBB Arizona. The Montana AG was able to successfully bring down the second website claiming to be the Montana Truck Center. 

 ”It’s a small victory each time one of these deceiving websites are taken down,” said Tyler Andrew, BBB Northwest & Pacific CEO. “We are happy to have played a role in assisting in the Montana Attorney General’s Office in protecting consumers and businesses from these types of schemes.”

“Unfortunately, criminals are getting more creative at stealing your hard-earned money. It’s important to properly research any purchase you make online,” said Montana Attorney General Tim Fox. “To avoid being burned by fraudulent websites, check the internet address URL to ensure your connection is secure, and never pay by bank wire transfer.

“Also, carefully read online reviews. If the website is fake, the online reviews will be too. Telltale signs include reviews that are all overwhelmingly positive, are posted within a short timeframe of other positive reviews, or multiple identical reviews.”

How to Avoid Escrow Fraud:   

Confirm if the company is licensed and bonded. A buyer should check that the escrow service and agent are licensed and bonded with the appropriate state agency (usually the state in which the escrow service is located) and avoid using an offshore escrow company. Those trying to sell their timeshare should also check with the timeshare’s resort to make sure the sale is legitimate.   

Be vigilant when transferring money. Legitimate escrow companies ask that buyers wire money from their bank account to the company’s bank. They will not ask for a person-to-person money transfer using Western Union or another third-party wire service. Consumers should work with their personal bank and the other financial institution to verify if they are transferring to commercial account instead of a personal account.    

Be cautious of too good to be true deals whether you’re a buyer or seller. Companies may try to entice consumers with offers above market value or advertise luxury items under retail value. Remember, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.    

  If you are the victim of a timeshare resale/escrow scam, BBB recommends reporting your experience to BBB and filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, Oregon Attorney General’s Office and the FBI.