Selling My Toyota Tacoma Was a Nightmare, I Was Scammed, They Distracted Me, He Opened Up the Oil-Filler Cap and Poured a Bottle of Water in the Oil, Then Replaced the Cap

Toyota Tacoma sellers should beware.

OfferUp, a versatile platform for buying and selling, seemed like a promising place for Adam Herrera to sell his 2007 Toyota Tacoma pickup. He listed it at a competitive price of $13,000. When a potential buyer expressed interest, Adam arranged to meet them at a well-known In-N-Out hamburger restaurant parking lot in Hesperia, California, near San Bernardino. 

Little did he know, this meeting would turn into a cautionary tale. 

However, the seemingly innocent meeting with a pair of potential buyers turned out to be a scam. They attempted to deceive Adam into selling his Toyota truck for an unfair price. This incident was later reported by ABC 7 Eyewitness News.

The would-be scammers wanted to take Adam's Tacoma pickup for more than a test drive. According to a report from ABC 7 Eyewitness News, they tried to take him for a ride. 

Adam says, "They wanted to meet. They were very interested. So they said they would come in from Riverside. So, I agreed to meet them here." (In-N-Out hamburger).

He says he met two men in the parking lot, plus a preteen boy and a toddler.

Adam popped the hood so one of the men could look at the engine while the other man asked him a question at the back of the truck. Adam followed the man to the pickup's rear, unaware he was being distracted. 

That's when the preteen boy made his move. The ABC report says it was all captured on the Tacoma's dash camera.

"He opened up the oil filler cap, poured the bottle of water in the engine's oil, then replaced the cap," Adam says disgustingly.

Adam said the young kid who was with the potential buyers made a motion signaling the two men.

Adam tells Eyewitness News," We went for a test drive. I drove about a mile down the road, and it started smoking. The truck starts smoking, he says again."

He drove back to the parking lot and popped the hood of his truck again to see if he could spot the problem.

"I crawled underneath to look at it," he said. "Another video shows one of the men reach into his crotch, take out a bottle of oil, and pour it on the motor and then into the overfill tank."

Adam could not see what the men were doing when he was underneath the Tacoma. That's when he says the buyer made his move with a low-ball offer.

"He goes bad motor I buy it $5,000," said Adam.

Adam knew something was up with these buyers. The report says he and his wife had just taken the truck on a long road trip to New York without any issues.

"I shook my head and said I am not selling anything. You did something to my vehicle," Adam told the two men.

He knew the two men and the boy tried to trick him. He knew what happened later after he looked at the dashcam video. 

Adam called the police and had his truck towed to the Toyota dealer, where they could flush the water and clean out the oil. However, it cost him $1,500 for the dealer to repair what the scammers had done to his Tacoma pickup. 

The report says Adam's 2007 Toyota Tacoma wasn't totaled, but he eventually could sell it. The report does not say how much he sold it for. 

"You got to watch people like a hawk," said Adam. "You know these guys were expecting me to be someone who needed the money to sell this thing to them for pennies on the dollar, and I absolutely knew they did something to my truck. It was a nightmare.”

The Hesperia Police Department is investigating, but they have not found the scammers as of this report.

It's a valuable lesson for anyone trying to sell a used vehicle.

Adam's choice of a public, well-lit area for the meeting was a wise one. However, to further safeguard against potential scams, it's advisable to have a friend or relative accompany you. Remember, never meet a stranger alone.

Travelers Insurance gives this advice for selling a car online.

Sometimes, buyers will ask to test drive your car before committing to buy it. However, just handing a stranger the keys to your car can be risky. You can help protect yourself and your car by:

• First, call your insurance agent to ask whether your auto insurance policy allows test drives.
• Asking whether your insurance or the prospective buyer's auto insurance will cover vehicle repairs in case of a mishap during the test drive.
• Checking and snapping a photo of the prospective buyer's driver's license.
• Meeting at a safe place, such as a shopping center, police station, or local DMV, during the day.
• Bring a friend or relative along for added safety.

Travelers says, "The last thing you want is for a test drive to turn into theft, though none of these suggestions are foolproof. If something does happen, call local law enforcement immediately to report the incident." 

It's Your Turn

Tell us about your experience selling a used car or truck. Did it go well? Click the red Add New Comment link below and let us know.

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I Flew To Houston to Buy a Ford F-150, It Was An Elaborate Facebook Marketplace Scam Says Sheriff’s Office, I’m Out Thousands of Dollars and the Truck. Read my report here.

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Toyota dealer