Posted by 
A MAN has been scammed out of $25,000 after visiting a classic car dealing website and purchasing a vintage vehicle that never arrived.
Dale Frye had found the online website Auto Store CT Quality Used Cars and had marveled at the category of vintage vehicles up for sale.
During his search, Frye came across a 1934 Ford Cabriolet that was being sold by a man named James from West Hartford, Connecticut.
“He sent me a video of the car, and he sent numerous still photos of the car,” Frye told CBS affiliate WFSB.
“It’s a very professional website.”
Convinced that the site was legitimate, Frye wired the man $25,000 for the classic car.
However, weeks passed, and the vehicle never arrived at his home in California.
Frye decided to visit the location where the vehicle was being sold.
“We decided to come here, and James has since decided to quit answering his phone calls,” Frye added.
However, when he arrived, the site was an empty lot.
Frye had hoped to finally get the keys to the car or a refund.
The business next to the lot told Frye the empty storage building had been vacant for about two years.
Frye reached out to the non-profit organization Better Business Bureau for help.
Better Business Bureau told WFSB they are investigating the incident.
“The fact that he had to write the money because that’s like handing someone cash and making it impossible to get your money back<” Kristen Johnson, the communications director for BBB, said.
“And the fact that the seller offered to ship it at a discount, those are all red flags, unfortunately.”
BBB is investigating the seller to see if they were posing as a legitimate business, which was once located at the West Hartford location Frye visited.
Johnson told WFSB that people looking to buy cars online should always view the vehicle in person before ever sending money.
West Hartford police are investigating the incident.
Frye said he hopes his story will help others from being victims.
“As long as this helps one person, whether it be a car or anything they want in life,” he told the outlet.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to Auto Store CT Quality Used Cars and West Hartford police for comment.
