Odometers were tampered with in fraudulent vehicle sales that have led to two arrests, Toronto police say.
Toronto police detailed the case in a news release issued on Wednesday.
A man and a woman used Facebook Marketplace to advertise vehicles for sale, falsely showing that the vehicles had low kilometres and/or were newer than they were, police said.
The pair also allegedly used fake aliases.
Police said some of the vehicles were salvaged.
“Unsuspecting victims would meet the suspects to test drive the vehicles at different locations throughout the GTA,” police continued.
“After the sale was completed, upon registering the vehicles, victims would learn the odometers were tampered with, the ownerships altered, and/or the vehicle required extensive repairs.”
Police said this type of fraud is known as “curbsiding,” which is when someone who misrepresents themselves in the private sale of a vehicle conceals information about the vehicle to a buyer.
Officers noted that before buying a vehicle, the seller must provide a used vehicle information package from the Ministry of Transportation. Police also encouraged buyers to have a licenced mechanic inspect vehicles before a purchase.
Two Uxbridge residents, 21-year-old Benn Taylor Raddysh and 19-year-old Alexandra Mekhdi-Gamsari, have been charged with fraud over $5,000.
Police said they believe there are more victims and asked them to contact investigators.