A DRIVER has been scammed out of hundreds of dollars after leaving his beloved car with a fraudulent mechanic.
Juan Agosto left his cherished Jeep with a mechanic he found on social media and got stuck with a $575 bill.
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When his car broke down in December 2023, Agosto handed it over to Carlos Mireles, a mechanic located on Chippewa Boulevard in northwest Harris County, Texas.
As a Jeep enthusiast, he was heartbroken to find out that his vehicle’s transmission had failed, but was eager to get it fixed and get back on the road, as reported by ABC affiliate KTRK-TV.
Agosto made an initial payment of $575 after Mireles assured him it would be a quick repair job.
“He told me, ‘Yeah, don’t worry about it, simple rebuild. We should have it done in a week,'” Agosto explained.
Over weeks, the mechanic slowly ghosted the driver, leaving his messages unanswered.
A year later, Agosto finally decided to check out the mechanic’s shop, only to find that the entire business and his beloved Jeep had disappeared.
“I should have known this was a scam,” Agosto said.
Nearly two years after his car initially broke down, Agosto got a call from someone who had identified him using information inside the Jeep’s glovebox compartment.
The caller told him to check out Mireles’ new auto shop, located on Deer Trail, if he wanted to get his car back.
Agosto said he had threatened to call the police on Mireles before, but that had not fazed him at all.
“When I threatened that I was going to call the cops, he pretty much laughed at me and said, ‘That happens to me all the time. They can’t do anything to me,'” Agosto said.
This was not an isolated incident — several other drivers who frequented Mireles’ shop had similar experiences.
“I just don’t know how he keeps doing this to people and is able to sleep. It’s heartless,” Agosto said.
However, everything changed when Agosto received a call about a case report he filed on Mireles.
Dealership Tips
Here are some expert tips when purchasing a car from a dealership lot:
- 1. Set your price: Ensure you’ve calculated your monthly budget before going to the lot. You should include the car’s loan payment, insurance costs, fuel, and regular maintenance.
- 2. Research: Make sure you know which cars you’re interested in test driving before you reach the dealership.
- 3. Pre-approval: Secure financing before you go to the dealership. Dealerships may give you a better interest rate if they are competing with an outside bank.
- 4. Test away: Get behind the wheel before making any payments. A car purchase will be worth thousands of dollars – drivers should ensure they like the drivetrain, steering feel, and comfort of the car before taking it off the lot
- 5. Haggle: Drivers should always try to negotiate the price. There are so many good cars on the American market – buyers have a strong hand when negotiating price.
Source: Kelley Blue Book
In April 2025, the scamming mechanic was charged with aggregate theft, according to court documents.
He was also accused of stripping the cars he stole, which brought in over $40,000 from at least four different customers.
Authorities have not confirmed if other victims were able to get their vehicles back.
The mechanic was caught by authorities while allegedly driving a car with a fake license plate.
Experts urge drivers to do their research before handing over their vehicle at the dealership.
Having a rough estimate of how much the repair might cost will help drivers feel more confident when writing a check to their auto dealer.