GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A metro Atlanta woman says she lost nearly $30,000 after unknowingly buying a stolen truck, part of what police describe as a multi-state theft scheme targeting unsuspecting buyers.
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Gwinnett County police say a group of five men is accused of stealing high-end trucks in Texas, altering their identification numbers, and reselling them in Georgia.
Investigators say the suspects swapped out vehicle identification numbers (VINs) to make the trucks appear legitimate before listing them for sale—often at prices that seemed like a bargain.
“That price for a truck was the hook,” Gwinnett County police said, adding that high-end models like a GMC Sierra Denali typically sell for $35,000 or more used.
One Gwinnett County woman told Channel 2 Action News she thought she did everything right before making the purchase. She checked the VIN and ran a Carfax report, but still ended up being scammed.
“They had changed the VIN from the windshield. They had changed the VIN number from the side door,” the victim said.
She says the seller contacted her through Facebook Marketplace and claimed he needed to sell the truck quickly due to a divorce.
After purchasing the vehicle for $28,000, police later discovered the real VIN hidden underneath the truck and confirmed it had been stolen. The vehicle was seized, leaving her without the truck or her money.
“And I don’t know how many more people they scammed with maybe the same amount of money,” she said.
Police say at least three victims have been identified so far.
The case began to unravel in March when a license plate reader flagged a suspicious Texas tag in Duluth. Investigators later pulled over 22-year-old Aldalberto Franco on Breckinridge Boulevard for speeding. Police say Franco was acting as the dealer running the operation.
Four of the five suspects have appeared in court and are facing felony charges of theft by bringing stolen property into Georgia.
A judge has allowed the case to move forward, and all of the suspects remain in jail.
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