Quick-thinking vehicle seller foils buyer's scam attempt
Police advise vehicle owners to be cautious about selling privately after a recent incident where the seller did everything right when faced with a scammer.
Police say the seller made the right move by agreeing to meet a potential buyer in a public parking lot so there would be witnesses if anything went awry. They say the buyer showed up with other individuals who claimed to be mechanics.
Police say the buyer took the vehicle for a test drive and came back saying it needed significant work. They offered the seller a reduced price, which was declined.
"Sadly, the test driver had stopped somewhere and added a foreign substance to a reservoir under the hood and sprayed something onto the engine, which caused it to smoke," Barrie police explained in a release about the incident.
The seller took the vehicle to a trusted mechanic, who police say found the substance, cleaned the reservoir, and had the car working properly again in no time.
"As for the smoke, it dissipated after the engine area was cleaned of what had been sprayed on it," police added.
Police say the message is simple, "When selling anything, no matter how big or small, you must always do it in a manner that ensures your safety is never compromised."
Police also reminded sellers that items are just property that can be replaced, so if something seems off about a buyer, such as if you are suspicious or uneasy about their behaviour, "it is ok to just change your mind and politely leave."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Loblaw leaders push back on 'misguided criticism' of grocer as boycott begins
Loblaw's new chief executive, as well as chairman Galen Weston, pushed back on what they called 'misguided criticism' of the grocer as a push to boycott the company gains steam online.
TD Bank hit with $9.2M penalty after failing to report suspicious transactions
Canada's financial intelligence agency says it has levied a $9.2-million penalty against The Toronto-Dominion Bank for non-compliance with money laundering and terrorist financing measures as the bank also faces compliance investigations in the U.S.
Orangutan observed treating wound using medicinal plant in world first
Scientists working in Indonesia have observed an orangutan intentionally treating a wound on their face with a medicinal plant, the first time this behavior has been documented.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
There's a limit to how much interest rates in Canada and U.S. can diverge: Macklem
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canadian interest rates don't have to match U.S. or global rates, but there is a limit to how much they can diverge.
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
Doctors concerned about potential spread of bird flu in Canada
H5N1 or avian flu has been detected at dozens of U.S. dairy farms and Canadian experts are urging surveillance on our side of the border too.
Airbnb's Icons allow you to drift off in the 'Up' house or rest in Prince's 'Purple Rain' mansion
The vacation destination rental company announced a new category of 'Icons,' a collection of 'extraordinary experiences hosted by the greatest names in music, film, television, art, sports, and more.'
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Goring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.