scammed need help

Anyone can plug a VIN or a Plate Number (and State) into CarFax.com and get an estimate of the vehicle's value in any given ZIP code. I took the Plate Number from the smog certificate whose image you posted, and it showed me the complete VIN and the mileage (although that is an estimated value based on previous averages, and is often a fair way off for our own vehicles, depending on which we have been driving more in between services; the 300577 miles it reports for your car is an extrapolation from the mileage at the date of the smog check) and an estimate of its value (actually three estimates -- one for private party sales, one for trade-in value, and one for wholesale value [I think I've remembered those correctly]). It was when I plugged the information into my own free CarFax account that it told me about the "70 history records" and invited me to pay to get a complete report.

Update: plugging my own VIN into that CarFax search facility shows my car as a Prius Five as well, although it is in fact a Prius Four. But it allowed me to change the trim level to Four and get a new estimated value (which, surprisingly, was higher than for the Five -- probably a supply-and-demand thing).

Plugging your VIN and mine into parts.toyota.com showed the correct trim levels.

Another thing: I do much of my own servicing and plug in the mileage on my free CarFax account at each service. There is nothing to stop me plugging in a totally fictitious mileage, and there is no guarantee that the mileage shown on what you claim to be the authentic CarFax report is correct -- but the discrepancy between the original dealer information on the two reports complicates matters.

 

The smog certificate dated 4 Feb 2020 shows the mileage as 38,850. What is your justification for claiming that the mileage on that date was really 297396?

There are a whole lot of things that simply do not add up here? Did the seller take you for a ride, as you claim? Are you trying to take the seller for a ride by claiming falsely that he misrepresented the car? Or are you trying to take the PriusChat community for a ride by posting a whole lot of bullsh**?

 

My guess is that he mistakenly put in the wrong VIN when requesting the second CarFax report, got back a report for a different Prius with more miles, and either doesn't realize his mistake or now won't admit it. His entire "fraud" claim is based on that second CarFax report, despite all other evidence (including the physical condition of the car which can't be faked) being to the contrary. There's just no way a car with 300k miles that has been in two accidents can appear to be a 34K mile car, especially to "mechanic in trade and usually do my own work on vehicles."

 

LOLZ
What dealer is that?
Seriously, perfect maintenance, even every 1k miles, will not make a 300k car look like a 39k one. Not even if it did all 300k on a dyno in a lab. Brakes, suspension, ...

Hey here's one - what tires does it have on it? A 39k car should have a good chance of having the original tires on it. Does it?

So far, you have posted a bunch of conflicting pieces of partial information. They clearly cannot all be right since they are contradictory. For some reason that has not been convincingly shown so far in this thread, you are concluding that the car actually has 300k miles and the guy is scamming you. I'm not convinced, and I think many others feel the same way.

We don't have all the info you do (and more would help), but from my view, I think it is far more likely that the car has 39k miles and yes, a bunch of stuff is screwed up with the data. Mistakes were made; maybe some intentional misleading. And yes, now that you're dealing with *people* trying to figure that stuff out, it might only get worse.

If you want an accurate answer, you might carefully read the multiple good suggestions above on how to confirm validity of the various data sources. And if you like, report back, and people can help further. Thanks for the interesting thread, and good luck. I hope you did not get scammed.

 

Yep, hits the nail on the head. That's why I went out a while back. The title of this thread is "need help," but you can only lead a horse to water.

 

It's buyer beware. As is, no warranty, unless expressly stated, in writing.
I'm going to "guess" you went on good faith the info the seller presented to told you was correct.
You should have looked at the paperwork more closely. If you have an iPhone, or any phone that
connects to the internet you could have run the vin number and gotten the information.
I do not see where you've posted any information, photos, of what the seller showed you, or what
you have gotten.
Leaving it up to the dmv, is just funny. They don't care. As long as you pay your registration, they are happy.
The burden of proof is up to the buyer.
Even though you SHOULD be able to trust car fax, you shouldn't. It's just a "guide". If they are fed false
information, how would they know?
You've have plenty of information of ways to find out. Have you done ANY of them?

 

If you put salt in his oats, you can lead him to water, and he'll drink.
So I've been told by those who work with horses...

 

After all this, my advice isn't going to change.
I think you need to consult with a lawyer. You need legal advice, possibly representation.

But really it comes down to what do YOU want to do?

I think it seems pretty clear you were a victim of fraud. Misrepresentation of the mileage. A good lawyer WILL double check this for you.

But personally I think it's "All In" or "All Out".

If you are "All In" your intention SHOULD be to get your money back. If you prosecute for fraud, rolling back odometers, then why wouldn't you want an award attached?

So again what do YOU want to do? A lawyer will cost you money, launching a case, cost you money.
Consultations are cheaper. I think a consultation with GOOD lawyer versed in this area of law, and in 20 minutes or less, you would know whether this is something even worth pursuing. Some will even do this over the phone. Flat fee. Know what it is beforehand.

I have no idea, because I'm NOT versed in this area of law, or a lawyer. But a consultation with a lawyer that is, would at least give you information about what can be done, maybe more information about what should be done and how, and then you could decide if it's a challenge you want to go "All In" or "All Out" with.

But right now, the gray area's seem to be knowledge of exactly what can be done, as far as remedy, and also some vagueness as to how you want to proceed.

 

the rmv should have all his info, from past records. they will hopefully get a bulletin out to police to look for his current vehicles, if he has any

 

i hope so. whats the point of these laws if no one's going to enforce them?

 

Ignore these fears...to the OP....* You don't have to read this.
But my speculative fear would be that this guy was a real professional.
A lot of people asking how could a vehicle with 300,000 miles be mistaken for a vehicle with only 39,000 miles on it? Well if this is just what this guy does?
A vehicle can be detailed so that outwardly to a novice, or someone not really versed on what to look for, I think could make that mistake.

Go to a lot of used car lots, the ones that sell older vehicles, and you can find old, high mileage vehicles that have been detailed to look great. Unfortunately it doesn't change the DNA of the vehicle IF it has high mileage and/or many years.

Many years back, I traded in a early 90's Honda Accord, that was 15-16 years old with over 100,000 miles on it. It was a really a good, great vehicle.
Anyway, a week or so later I swung by this dealerships "used" vehicle lot, and saw my Old Accord. It looked great. Even for 15, 16 years old. I wanted to buy it back, because it looked like it just rolled off the assembly line. AND I take care of my vehicles, it wasn't like it was a wreck when I traded it in.
It's pretty amazing how visually rejuvenating a good detailer can be.
And if this guy rips people off regularly using this scam?....He might be very good at what he does, including creating the illusion that a much higher mileage car is really a vehicle with far less mileage.

 

I can be a paranoid cynic, but the fact that it was so clean, actually makes me more nervous that you were dealing with a real professional and were a direct victim of a probably often repeated crime. Maybe too clean, Cash Only Transaction, Phone DIsconnected....
Nothing you can really do about that now.