Ontario Provincial Police in North Bay, Ont., say two men tried to commit fraud against a used car seller in a fraud known as the ‘dirty oil scam.’ The incident took place in Bonfield Township last month, police said in a news release Aug. 11. The report came in July 20, but the incident took place July 3. Security cameras at a commercial property on Highway 17 in Bonfield captured the attempted fraud. The OPP is now warning the public to be cautious about scams targeting people selling vehicles privately. “The owner had arranged to sell their vehicle to two men who indicated they had travelled from Ottawa to view the vehicle,” police said. “During the interaction, one of the men directed the owner’s attention away from the rear of the vehicle while the second man remained near the exhaust. The second man appeared to spray a substance into the vehicle’s exhaust pipe.” Sprayed substance on the engine At that point, they took the vehicle for a test drive and white smoke began rising from the muffler that had been sprayed with oil. “While the owner’s attention was focused on the smoke, one of the men opened the hood and appeared to spray a substance into the engine compartment,” the OPP said. “The men subsequently claimed the vehicle had experienced a catastrophic engine failure and attempted to renegotiate the purchase price to less than half of the original agreed-upon amount.” Fortunately, the owner refused and told them he would have his vehicle inspected by a mechanic. “The OPP is reminding individuals selling vehicles privately to remain vigilant and take steps to protect themselves from potential fraud,” police said. Police advise sellers to keep an eye on their vehicle at all times and be wary if multiple people arrive and one tries to distract you. “If a serious mechanical problem suddenly appears during a vehicle viewing or test drive, stop the sale and have the vehicle professionally inspected,” police said. “Do not feel pressured to reduce the sale price on the spot.” Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact the North Bay OPP at 1-888-310-1122. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222- 8477 (TIPS), or online.
