Exercise Caution When Purchasing Vehicles from Facebook Marketplace

The Graves County Sheriff's Office is urging residents to exercise extreme caution when buying vehicles from Facebook Marketplace. A rising number of scams involving stolen and "cloned" vehicles have been reported across the country--and even right here in our own community.

According to Sheriff Jon Hayden, law enforcement agencies in Texas and Tennessee have identified organized criminal groups with cartel connections that are stealing thousands of vehicles, primarily from Texas. These stolen vehicles are often "cloned"--outfitted with fake VIN numbers taken from legitimate, legally owned cars. Fraudsters even go as far as replacing VIN plates and certification labels in door jambs and engine compartments.

The risk to buyers is serious. When these vehicles are taken to the local DMV, they may initially pass inspection. However, if the fake VIN is flagged during registration, the buyer can lose the vehicle. Insurance companies typically reclaim these cars upon discovering the original theft, leaving the unsuspecting buyer with a significant financial loss.

"This has happened four times in Graves County over the past year," Sheriff Hayden noted in a social media post. "In each case, the vehicles were found on Marketplace, and three involved meetups in Memphis or Nashville."

Hayden encourages you to protect yourself, always do your research before purchasing anything online. Contact the sheriff's office for assistance; they can often help verify the VIN or the vehicle's history. You can also use an engine code reader to check the onboard computer's VIN. If it doesn't match the one displayed on the car, it is likely stolen.

Finally, always insist on meeting the seller at a police or sheriff's department. If they refuse, walk away.

If you believe you've been scammed or come across a suspicious listing, contact local law enforcement immediately.

Don't become a victim. Stay alert, ask questions, and buy wisely.

As of now, no specific vehicle cloning or Marketplace scams have been publicly reported in Fulton County or Hickman County.

However, since these counties lie within the same region and share similar local commerce patterns, the potential risk cannot be ignored.

Stay alert--particularly when encountering out-of-state sellers or listings with limited details. If you're in Graves, Fulton, or Hickman County and have concerns, it's better to contact authorities first than risk becoming a victim.