We Needed Help Catching the Guy Who Paid For Our Ford F-250 With a $25,000 Fake Check, Facebook Positively Played a Role

A man bought a 2020 Ford F-250 Lariat Crew Cab with a fake check. What happened next was hilarious.

Ryan Duval went into Best Ford of Nashua thinking he could fool the Ford dealer and paid for the truck with a fake $25,000 check. He drove away thinking he got away with a 2020 Ford F-250 Lariat Crew Cab pickup. Easy pickings, right?

Not so fast.

Watch how the local Ford dealership recovered the stolen F-250 truck using the help of the Facebook community in this video from the Torque News Youtube channel.

A report from Automotive News says Best Ford of Nashua in New Hampshire offered a $1,000 reward on its Facebook page asking for help finding Ryan Duval, who it said bought a 2020 Ford F-250 Lariat crew cab. 

Best Ford reached out to the local community, stating, "We're seeking your assistance in locating one of our vehicles. A man named Ryan Duval recently made a fake check and left Best Ford in a 2020 White Ford F-250 Lariat Crew Cab (last 6 of the VIN: C26028) valued at about $50,000. We have connected with him via Facebook, and he won't return it." 

This call for help made the community an integral part of the story.  

"Also, please do not approach this person; he is not a good guy.  A quick Google search will show you that he has been arrested for bad checks several times; see the link in this post, along with theft by unauthorized taking and a few other things."

Best Ford's determination was evident in their words.

"That's where YOU come in! We're offering a $1,000 REWARD to anyone who can find this truck so we can send a repo truck out to get it. Every bit of help counts, and we'd be so grateful if you could keep an eye out!  We have tagged him in this post, so if you guys want a head start on making $1000, go to his page and find out everything you need to know about him." 

This determination inspired the community to assist in the recovery. 

"If you have any leads or see this truck, please DM us. Thanks for all your support, Nashua!"

Best Ford posted an image of Duval and the fake check it said was used to buy their Ford F-250 Lariat Crew Cab pickup. And it worked!

"Facebook positively played a role," Best Ford's general manager, Mike Frassica, said in an email to Automotive News, "however, it was the police that ultimately found him and the vehicle."

Police arrested Duval and recovered the truck within a few days — after the suspect ratcheted up the drama by replying to the store's October 30 post and interacting with the commenters trying to track him down. 

Duval made several misleading comments, trying to throw the community off his trail, but the vigilant online community saw through his ruse.

The Nashua Police Department arrested Duval, 36, on November 1 on felony theft and forgery charges. He also had outstanding warrants for thefts from a nearby Lowe's store. He was subsequently charged and is currently awaiting trial for his crimes.

Best Ford's general manager, Mike Frassica, said the store doubled the reward, donating $1,000 to the Nashua Police Athletic League and raffling off $1,000 to one of the Facebook fans who chimed in during the hunt.

Best Ford had fun and posted a satirical video reenacting the buyer sneaking through its lot. The video was set to the "Pink Panther" theme song. It showed a black-and-white striped prison uniform man sneaking through the lot and attempting to buy a keychain at the parts counter with an oversized novelty check made out to the United Way.

Ford had way too much fun recovering its Ford F-250 pickup.

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 Best Ford of Nashua