Description

A fraudulent equipment sales website operating under the name Empire Equipment Group LLC (empireqgroup.com) is listing commercial semi-trucks at heavily discounted prices to solicit upfront wire transfers or deposit payments. How the Scam Works: Unrealistic Pricing & Stolen Listings: A 2020 Freightliner Cascadia 126 Sleeper Truck was listed on the entity's site for $22,900 USD—a price far below market value. The exact same vehicle inventory listing was identified on legitimate truck marketplace platforms (e.g., TruckPaper) priced at approximately $56,000 USD, indicating stolen images and specs. Fake Sales Contracts: Upon inquiring about vehicle availability, the fraudulent operation quickly generates a formal-looking sales invoice/Bill of Sale titled "Empire Equipment Group LLC - Sale Contract ID" complete with fraudulent transaction numbers, warranty promises (e.g., 10-day/30-day money-back guarantee), and shipping line items to build trust. Refusal of In-Person Inspection: When pushed to arrange an in-person viewing or local pickup in Texas, the contact immediately disconnects communications and hangs up, confirming there is no physical inventory. Inconsistent Inventory Data: Further inspection of the website (empireqgroup.com) reveals mismatched vehicle details, where commercial heavy truck listings display VIN numbers belonging to small passenger vehicles. Entity Information Used by Scammers: Company Name: Empire Equipment Group LLC Address Listed: 3504 Mesa Dr, Houston, TX 77013 Website: [https://empireqgroup.com/](https://empireqgroup.com/) Contact Phone Number: 1-713-489-9748 Contact Email: [email protected]