A WOMAN has been left devastated after she was scammed out of $1,300 by a con man pretending to sell her a car.
Donna Stelly was shopping at a convenience store in Scott, Louisiana, which is about an hour’s drive from Baton Rouge, when she was approached by a man asking if she wanted to buy a used vehicle.
Kendel Labbe, who is wanted on a charge of felony theft[/caption]
Kendel Shae Labbe, 38, showed Stelly pictures of a Chevy Traverse and asked her if she was interested in purchasing it, Stelly told CBS affiliate KLFY-TV.
Stelly agreed to the transaction, but said she noticed something seemed unusual when he asked for her to pay up front – meaning she had to fork over $1,300 in cash without ever seeing the car in person.
The pair decided that Labbe would drop off the car at Stelly’s home the next day.
“He would come the next day, and I gave him $1300 dollars and he noticed I had a flat on my car,” Stelly told KLFY-TV.
“He said look, [I’m going to] take this tire and I’m going to get it fixed for you.”
Stelly said Labbe promised to drop off the new vehicle and fix her car the next day – but then he never showed.
She told the outlet that she called the scammer multiple times before she realized that he blocked her number.
It then became clear that she was scammed out of her $1,300 as the car was never delivered.
“I was saving up for a car and now I have to start all over again,” Stelly told the outlet through tears.
Now, she warns other car buyers to think twice about their big purchases.
“I learned my lesson the hard way, I will definitely be aware of scams from now on,” Stelly said.
“I really didn’t think this would ever happen to me but it can happen to anybody.”
Police obtained a warrant for Labbe’s arrest after he scammed Stelly on September 9 – and then he pulled off the same crime just weeks later.
Tips on buying a used car
When looking to buy a used car, U.S. News & World Report experts have a few tips before walking onto the sales lot.
- Set a realistic budget. Some cars are more expensive to insure and register than others depending on engine type, body style, weight, and the amount of doors. Before being swindled by a crafty salesman, it’s important to know what you can and can’t afford.
- Researching what car would fit best into your lifestyle can save a lot of time. Would a sedan work better for your garage or narrow street? Would a truck meet hauling or towing needs? Knowing what suits your needs can narrow down your options.
- Look into certified pre-owned cars. Certified pre-owned cars are backed by the manufacturer and come with comprehensive warranties at affordable prices. Some manufacturers have better deals on CPO cars, so research diligently.
- Not all financing options are created equal. Depending on where you look to finance, if that’s on the table, be very careful about who you finance with. Your best option would be to get preapproved by your bank before going in to give you an idea of what rates are affordable, and to give a dealership incentive to meet or beat those rates.
- Consider a used car inspection. Depending on where you’re buying a vehicle from, you can opt to pay roughly $200 for a used car inspection to have key components examined by an expert.
- Consider a vehicle history report. When things get close to signing, buying a vehicle history report based on the VIN can help clarify the previous owners, maintenance records (if it was taken to a dealership), title status, and more.
Source: U.S. News and World Report
Just a 30-minute drive southeast from where Stelly, was scammed, Labbe approached another Louisiana woman with a similar offer of a Chevy Traverse, according to KLFY-TV.
Mildred Walker told the outlet she paid $900 upfront for the car, but he never returned with a receipt or the vehicle.
Similarly to Stelly, she realized she was scammed when he didn’t return her calls after the payment.
“Never heard from him,” Walker said, adding that she’s “still waiting.”
“I called, my daughter called, my nephew called, my son called, my son-in-law called, I called early this morning when I got up three times, [and he] still never answered the phone.”
Walker said she shared her story in hopes to help other elderly people who might be at risk of getting scammed.
“That hurt me so bad,” Walker said.
“I went into my room and cried. We are elderly, they prey on the elderly, we need to get this out before he can have a chance to do this to somebody else.”
Labbe is wanted for at least one charge of felony theft.
