VIN Fraud

[HB Chris]

Look what our friend ego_bgo on eBay is doing:

BMW 2002/tii Transfer Docs (72TII) | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for BMW 2002/tii Transfer Docs (72TII) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

I suggest others join me in flagging his ad

 

[dang]

Wow, seems like some authorities would want to know about this. That's pretty bold.

Edit: that's pretty dumb.

 

[JMinPDX]

Amazing the he calls them “Transfer Docs” like it’s routine. Most states require visual VIN verification when bringing a vintage car in from another state just to try and prevent this sort of shenanigans. Pretty ballsy. Should be “Fraudulent Transfer Docs”

 

[rsporsche]

fits what i have always thought of this clown and why i recommend staying away from him.

 

[Arde]

Seller is truthful in advertising Condition: Used.

 

[HB Chris]

Please report him. There is even a category called VIN plates in the reasons section.

 

[JMinPDX]

Please report him. There is even a category called VIN plates in the reasons section.

Done.

 

[craterface]

Do we know his real identity? I think the Texas DMV would like to pay him a visit, or the FBI.

 

[rsporsche]

all i remember was that he lived in the arlington, tx area. i used to know his name but that was 10 years ago or so. maybe just sending a link of the ebay auction to the texas dmv would work

i sent the DMV an email and suggested they might want to look into it.

 

[Ohmess]

Flagged. Dude has 124 ebay auctions active right now.

 

[dang]

If TX DMV is anything like CA DMV, they don't have the resources for stuff like this.

 

[bavbob]

Holy crap, are passports next!
And, the buyer will be as dishonest and as dumb as the seller but there will be one!

My wife had a 74 CJ7 and it was for sale. I cannot tell you how many people responded to the add and asked in the dashboard and Vin plate were intact. Yes, they all had salvaged CJ7's and wanted to swap out the dash etc to have a clean title.

 

[jmackro]

Here's the seller's text that accompanies the ebay listing:

​

BMW 2002/tii Transfer Docs. This is all you need for Transfer. Included is Title, and Vin Plates. All items are 100 percent authentic. I retained these items in case I purchased another body to transfer 2002tii parts to. The car was totaled years ago in an accident. Feedback speaks for itself. Payments are PayPal or Cash with local pickup.

So, why is he specifying local pickup? Is shipping these materials through the mail a greater offense than selling them? Does local pick up ensure the seller isn't charged with moving "transfer docs" across state lines?

 

[JayWltrs]

Here's the seller's text that accompanies the ebay listing:

​

BMW 2002/tii Transfer Docs. This is all you need for Transfer. Included is Title, and Vin Plates. All items are 100 percent authentic. I retained these items in case I purchased another body to transfer 2002tii parts to. The car was totaled years ago in an accident. Feedback speaks for itself. Payments are PayPal or Cash with local pickup.

So, why is he specifying local pickup? Is shipping these materials through the mail a greater offense than selling them? Does local pick up ensure the seller isn't charged with moving "transfer docs" across state lines?

It might avoid mail fraud, but it wouldn't avoid wire fraud because he used the internet. There are also state and federal document fraud statutes that plainly cover it, but Texas is like a whole other country and he might have found a loophole there. But I doubt it. There was a big furor here in Oklahoma recently when a Sheriff decided he woud auction off a bunch of fake Mustangs. They were in great condition, but they were fake VINs of ultra-rare cars. I knew the lawyer who did it--let's just say it didn't come as a huge surprise. After he was busted, he walked into a gun range, rented a gun, and shot himself. Not quite as flamboyant, but there's another Joe Exotic-like Oklahoma story there.

 

[HB Chris]

....

 

[m5bb]

Name is Edgar Butler

Maybe Terry Sayther knows him and since he lives in TX, could report him.

 

[teahead]

VIN 2760350 BMW 2002 Tii title fraud

(for google purposes).

 

[rsporsche]

this just in from the Texas DMV

Hello Scott,

Thank you for contacting us. It is my pleasure to assist you today.
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles doesn’t have regulatory authority over individuals or eBAY. If a Texas dealer isn’t involved, we recommend you submit this to law enforcement.

If you determine a Texas dealer is involved, you may submit a dealer complaint Our Enforcement Division investigates complaints against licensed dealers.

You may submit a dealer complaint online. You will receive an email with a case number once completed.

Please allow time for the complaint to be assigned to an investigator. The investigator will reach out to you for more information, if needed.

For your convenience, this email may contain a hyperlink(s), which is the text underlined and highlighted in blue. Click the hyperlinked word(s) to visit the referenced website or download a form.

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance. Have a wonderful day!

Sincerely,

Denise || Customer Service Representative
Texas Department of Motor Vehicles

 

[HB Chris]

He’s not a dealer so no action. How can eBay let this remain open?

 

[Ohmess]

I just submitted the following Tarrant County Crime Stoppers tip:

This note is directed to the Fort Worth Traffic Investigation Unit, and relates to documents being offered for sale to facilitate a fradulent automobile sale and/or registration.

This ebay auction is for a set of "transfer documents" for a 1972 BMW 2002tii.

BMW 2002/tii Transfer Docs (72TII) | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for BMW 2002/tii Transfer Docs (72TII) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

The offer is being made by a seller in Arlington, TX. The documents include a Wisconsin title, and VIN plates from a car that match the title. These items can only be sold for the purpose of changing the VIN on another car to match this VIN and title so as to obscure the ownership and/or history of another vehicle and deceive a prospective buyer. In other words, this set of "transfer documents" is being sold to enable an unscrupulous seller to commit fraud upon a buyer. I have complained to ebay about this, as have several other members of a BMW classic car group I belong to. To date, ebay has taken no action against this auction. One member of the group, who I know, has indicated that the person behind this auction to be Edgar Butler. I have looked in the white pages, and can confirm that there is an Edgar Butler in Arlington, TX, but have not otherwise attempted to verify whether this person may be connected to this auction. Nonetheless, I pass it along in the event it may be helpful.