San Luis Obispo County Sheriff warns of auto scheme

March 19, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office issued a warning on Wednesday regarding an auto scheme targeting people attempting to sell used cars.

A group of Romanian nationals have been working this scam throughout California and recently showed up in San Luis Obispo County. Two county residents have already fallen for the scam.

Here’s how the scheme works:

A scammer pretends to be a buyer and contacts a seller on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. They arrange to inspect and test drive the vehicle.

The scammer generally bring along two to three other people posing as friends or mechanics. While one person distracts the seller, another secretly pours oil on the engine.

During the test drive, the engine starts smoking, making it seem like the car has a serious problem. The scammer then offers a very low price, hoping the seller, now worried about expensive repairs, will agree to sell the car for far less than its actual value.

On Jan.18, a seller in Atascadero fell victim to this scam and accepted an offer that was far below the asking price. The suspects also attempted the scam in Los Osos and Nipomo on the same day.

On March 10, a seller in Los Osos fell victim to this scheme and accepted an offer that was far below asking price. The same scam was attempted the next day in Atascadero.

Investigators are asking anyone who may have been a victim of this scheme to contact the Sheriff’s Detective Division at (805) 781-4500.

Here are some tips to avoid falling victim to this scheme:

• Meet potential buyers in a public area, such as a grocery store parking lot.
• Don’t go alone. Have a friend or family member with you during the meeting.
• Do not leave the potential buyer alone with your vehicle (this includes the test drive).
• If a mechanical issue is suspected, do not succumb to the pressure to drastically reduce the price until you have the vehicle inspected by a trusted mechanic.
• Be wary of significant “lowball” offers.