GTA dealerships scammed by international car thieves by posing as luxury-car buyer, police say
Halton police say they have busted an international ring of criminals who stole luxury vehicles from GTA dealerships by posing as legitimate buyers.
The group used high-quality forgeries to obtain the vehicles, worth more than $1.6 million dollars and then resold them, often overseas, police said.
The Halton police-led operation was called “Project Luxe.” It began as an investigation into a group of people who impersonated representatives of a legitimate retailer to fraudulently obtain high-end vehicles from GTA dealerships, Halton police said in a news release.
”The sophistication of this particular scam and exceptional quality of the documents they produced enabled the group to carry out similar frauds at other GTA and southern Ontario area dealerships.”
Vehicles recovered by police included a 2021 Ferrari F8 Spider (valued at $600,000), a 2023 Maybach GLS600 and 2020 Lamborghini Urus (both valued at more than $300,000) and a 2023 Porche 911 Turbo (valued at more than $225,000).
The group has international connections to sell the luxury vehicles, police said.
Also involved in Project Luxe were the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, The New York and New Jersey Port Authority Police, Toronto police, the OPP and the FBI.
Vehicles were recovered across Ontario and in the United States, police said.
Aside from the luxury vehicles, police said they also seized equipment used to fraudulently mimic various methods of secure payment.
The Halton Regional Police Service cautions people selling vehicles to be mindful of high-pressure tactics that don’t allow time for you to exercise due diligence.
“Ideally, secure payment before you transfer ownership,” police also warn.
“When you accept any form of payment, verify it with the issuing bank (don’t rely on your own bank, if different). Although your bank may accept a cheque or money order, the payment sometimes doesn’t clear for several days (or weeks).”
Sellers are also urged to verify the buyer’s identity with a driver’s licence, and one other form of identification that includes the name and address.
Sellers should also be cautious when engaging with faraway buyers.
“Although not necessarily scammers, be wary of anyone who makes an offer to buy your car sight-unseen or a sale in which someone else who arrives to pick it up and complete the transaction,” Halton police warn.
Three men have been charged with fraud and possession-related offences.
This article was reported by The Star
