FUMING drivers have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars after a scammer used a “title swap” trick on them.
The scammer robbed drivers of upwards of $325,000 before being caught by authorities.
4
4
4
Edward Cicciu, 46, would take out loans to buy cars at auctions that he would later sell at his Bristol County Auto Exchange on Route 6, as reported by NBC affiliate WJAR-TV.
Although customers would buy the vehicles from his auto shop, Cicciu never paid the money he borrowed.
Nearly 50 customers fell victim to Cicciu’s auto scam and a whopping total of $325,750 was stolen.
Authorities revealed that the auto shop owner also duped his customers with fake temporary license plates.
Cicciu would hand out shoddy vehicle tags after making a sale and avoid issuing legitimate registrations afterward.
“When customers inquired about their titles, the defendant eventually stopped responding,” a release said.
“The defendant is also alleged to have provided customers with bad checks for refunds when they returned their vehicles due to mechanical or safety issues.”
“Some customers never received their vehicles after payment and he took possession of other vehicles to sell for customers who never received payment or their vehicles went missing from the lot,” prosecutors said.
One of the victims, Ethan Bergantim, purchased a $10,000 BMW from Bristol County Auto Exchange but still hasn’t been able to drive the car.
“I feel like I’m living in a movie,” a distraught Bergantim told CBS affiliate WPRI.
Cicciu sold Bergantim the 2011 BMW without issuing a proper title for the vehicle.
Although Bergantim was promised the official title would arrive in the mail, he never received the documents.
Once the seller stopped communicating with Bergantim, the driver knew this was probably part of a bigger scheme.
“I started realizing this was not going to be pretty,” he said.
How to avoid being scammed at the repair shop
Motorautocar and the AARP have east-to-follow tips to avoid being scammed by a repair shop.
- Motorautocar suggests asking to see parts that have been replaced or to see old fluids after they were swapped. If the shop says that’s impossible or refuses, it could be a sign it wasn’t done.
- Ask for a walkaround of the repairs that were done. Most mechanics are happy to show you what was done in the shop. While being walked around, look for evidence of repairs like the area being cleaned off, shiny new parts, tool marks on the bolts, tools being out or nearby, etc.
- Before taking your car in, look at other customer reviews on Google, Yelp, or Facebook. Many customers only review a company if they have negative reviews, so keep an eye out.
- For costly repairs, consider getting multiple opinions. If two to three shops suggest identical repairs, it’s likely to be true.
- Test a new shop with minor issues you’re aware of to see if they add anything to the repair bill.
- If applicable, bring someone to the shop who knows about cars to have them double-check or read a repair bill.
- Get everything on paper. Not only is it important for your repair records, but it can help protect you if legal measures are necessary.
Source: Motorautocar, AARP
On Friday, Cicciu was arraigned on 43 counts of larceny under $1,200 by false pretenses, as reported by WJAR-TV.
The owner was arraigned on dozens of other fraud charges by Bristol County prosecutors.
He faces five counts of motor vehicle larceny, 38 counts of failing to produce title upon a motor vehicle transfer, 37 counts of faking or abusing a Registry of Motor Vehicles document, and two counts of larceny by check exceeding $1,200.
The Massachusetts resident pleaded not guilty to fraud charges in Fall River Superior Court.
Cicciu was held on $100,000 cash bail, as per the attorney general.
To avoid scams, first-time buyers are encouraged to test drive any vehicle before purchasing it, have a mechanic inspect the car, and double-check the VIN or vehicle identification number.
4