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Jennings Police recovers two stolen vehicles in vin swapping fraud
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JENNINGS, La (KLFY)-- Officers are warning people purchasing cars about the dangers of vin swapping after the Jennings Police Department recently stopped two stolen vehicles traveling on I-10 from Houston.
Vin swapping is a rising scam where vehicles have their vin numbers overlapped with fake ones. JPD wants to warn the public about this particular scam and encourages everyone to be cautious when purchasing a vehicle. Police say it's seems to be an ongoing issue through the nation that they are seeing a rise in vin swapped vehicles.
Earlier this week, officers with the JPD recovered two stolen vehicles within 24 hours of each other. Police confirmed the drivers where victims of vehicle fraud in a scam known as vin swapping. Detective Eduardo Mendoza with the JPD said people can become victims of purchasing a stolen car without knowing it.
"They bought these vehicles, met somebody on the internet, they thought they were getting a really good deal and they're out there thinking that they have a really nice vehicle and it turns out it's actually stolen," Mendoza said.
Mendoza said he recommends going to a reputable dealership when purchasing a vehicle. Darren Ostalet, the general manager at Bubba Ostalet in Jennings, said vin swapping is something dealerships are aware of and are cautious when trading in vehicles.
"You know it's something that we as dealers have to look out for in several ways that we go through that to make sure the vehicle we're taking in on trade in is not a stolen vehicle," Ostalet said.
Oustalet said there are ways people can make sure the vehicle they are purchasing has not had its vin number swapped.
"Yeah, I would make sure that there's proper registration issued," Oustalet said. "Check the registration to make sure it's in the consumers name with his ID and double check that registration vin code that's on the registration for whichever state with the vehicle to make sure it matches."
Again, people are urged to purchase vehicles from reputable dealers to lower the risk of being scammed.