June 4, 2026 – Merced CHP officials report on online marketplace scam. 

They thought they were getting a great deal on a Honda Accord. Instead, they were driving a stolen vehicle.

Recently, Officer Trenado conducted an enforcement stop on this Honda Accord and discovered the vehicle had been VIN switched and reported stolen. The driver wasn’t the person who stole it. He was an innocent purchaser who had paid cash after finding the vehicle through an online marketplace.

Unfortunately, we’re seeing more cases like this.

A vehicle is listed online at a price that’s hard to pass up. The seller has paperwork. The deal is cash only. Everything appears legitimate until the vehicle is recovered and the buyer learns it was stolen.

Officer Trenado has recovered several VIN switched vehicles over the past few months, helping return stolen vehicles to their rightful owners and preventing additional victims from losing their hard-earned money.

If you’re shopping for a vehicle online, remember if the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Would you buy a vehicle with cash from someone you met online?

Source & photo: Merced CHP