I Almost Bought This 2023 Chevy Silverado Duramax For $51K, But, My Salesman Caught the Fake VIN, I Was Ready To Sign the Check

Here is a story too incredible to be true, but surprisingly, it is true. 

Imagine a Chevrolet dealer receiving a call from a customer who owns a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Duramax pickup and wants to sell it. They want this truck because it's a desirable model with low miles, and it's in excellent condition. 

The dealer is willing to pay $51,000 for the truck and can then sell the four-wheel-drive LT Crew Cab trim with the Duramax diesel powertrain for $70,000. What dealer wouldn't make that deal? A cool $20,000 profit. 

The Chevrolet Dealer Almost Pulled the Trigger on the Deal

The sales manager's vigilance saved the day. I can hear the sales manager saying, "I almost bought this 2023 Chevy Silverado Duramax for $51,000, but my vigilant salesman caught the fake VIN on the truck right before I cut the check. I was ready to sign the check; I'm so glad I didn't."

The Story Gets Better

The truck has only 15,000 miles, and the salesman who took the call already has a buyer lined up to purchase it. So, he scheduled a time for the Chevy Silverado seller to come in, and after the truck is inspected, you will write out a check for the $51,000. 

When the truck arrives, it's everything the dealer expected. So, you tell the Chevy truck seller to come back the next day, and the dealer's manager will cut a check for the full amount.  

If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is

However, during the routine inspection, the salesman checked the vehicle identification number (VIN) of the Chevy Silverado, and the employee noticed that the VIN came back as invalid. 

A report from St George News says, "The same VIN was imprinted on stickers located on the side door, engine compartment, and near the windshield. The Stephen Wade Chevrolet dealer's staff then found the truck's actual VIN during a closer inspection and later learned the Chevrolet Silverado Duramax was reported stolen out of California in January."

The Stephen Wade Chevrolet dealership employee quickly notified the police that they had a man attempting to sell them a stolen truck with a falsified Vehicle Identification Number. 

The report says, "The dealership employee went on to tell officers that the seller, identified as 61-year-old Marciano Madrano Penaloza, of Lynwood, California, was expected to return to the dealership the following day to pick up a check for $51,000."

Tell him to bring in the truck, and we'll be ready for him.

"When Penaloza arrived at the dealership Tuesday afternoon, he was arrested by detectives, while at the same time patrol officers stopped the car the suspect arrived in."

"Inside the car were two men, 45-year-old Erick Molina, of Los Angeles, and Juan Ramon Beliz-Lastra, 24, of Bakersfield, California, who police detained."

The three men were arrested and transported to Purgatory Correctional Facility in Washington County, Utah.

The Story Takes Another Twist

The three men had already tricked another St George dealer into buying a similar truck with a fake VIN. 

The report stated that when detectives searched the rental car the other two men were driving, they found a check from another car dealership in the amount of $44,000. "When they checked with the car dealer, investigators learned that Penaloza had reportedly sold a similar truck to that dealership."

The Chevy Silverado sellers were not amateurs.

While speaking to the managers of both dealerships, detectives learned the VINs on both Chevrolet trucks "were altered so well it was difficult to determine the numbers had been altered."

The VIN alterations were so convincing, the report states, that the first dealership did not discover the fraud until after the sale, at which point the suspects had already left with the $44,000 check.

Had the second fraudulent sale at the Stephen Wade Chevrolet dealer gone through, the suspects would have driven off with $95,000 between the two transactions, according to court records.

They won't be getting out of prison anytime soon.

The report states that all three men were charged with six second-degree felony offenses, including two counts of receiving a stolen vehicle and altering a vehicle identification number, one count of theft by deception, and one count of a pattern of unlawful activity. Each man is also charged with one third-degree felony count of theft by deception.

Conclusion

We live in a world where car dealers and car buyers must be vigilant and avoid falling victim to scams. This incident serves as a testament to the importance of staying alert in the car dealership industry.

Car Buyers Should Also Beware

Check out another story about Jonathan, who learned a valuable lesson and doesn't want anyone else to make the same mistake he did. 

Jonathan Diaz says, "We have all made bad financial decisions, but this one here is my foolish financial decision. Last year, I purchased a 2024 Toyota RAV4. There is nothing wrong with the car, and I absolutely love this car." 

Jonathan knows he should have reviewed the documents for the 2024 Toyota RAV4 he purchased before signing them. You can't rush through the process when making a significant purchase, such as a car. He gave the dealer and salesman too much control. 

Jonathan's story serves as a reminder that preparation is key when dealing with car dealers. Some dealers, not just Toyota, will take advantage of a buyer to make a sale. They are under pressure to see cars, and that's what they do best. The buyer must go in prepared and armed with information on their trade-in and the vehicle they are buying.

Check out Jonathan's story: I Paid Too Much For My 2024 Toyota RAV4 Because the Dealer Stung Me By Issuing a Verbally Undisclosed Credit Card For an Extra $1,500 Down Payment

It's Your Turn

Do you have a car dealer story to share? Have you been burned by a dealer when buying a new car? If so, click the red Add New Comment link below and let us know.

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 Chevrolet dealer