Business ProfileforDouble Z Auto Sales & Trucking

UPDATE: November 2023, the website appears to be down.

August 2023, BBB was alerted to Double Z Auto Sales & Trucking LLC. Consumers answered online ads from a private party but were told an auto broker, Double Z Auto Sales would finalize the transaction and the shipping. Payments were requested through wire transfer. One consumer lost $15,000, but another consumer was saved from losing $35,000 as the bank flagged the wire as a fraudulent transaction. This consumer stated sales manager, Peter Brantner told him everything was fine, “the bank does not want you to take money out of their bank”. The consumers allege after payments were made, no cars were received and all correspondence ceased.

Mail sent by the BBB to the Buckhannon, WV address listed on the website was returned as “Returned to Sender, No Mail Receptacle, Unable to Forward.”

Whois.com shows, doublezautosalestruckingllc.com, was registered on May 29, 2023 for only one year.

BBB found this scheme follows the same pattern as another BBB investigation on Woolie Auto Sales and Trucking. An ad is placed for a high end vehicle. Potential buyers are sent identical emails from “M. Dickson, Rig Driller” and then told an auto broker will finalize the transaction and shipping. A fraudulent YP ad was used as “proof” of company legitimacy.

• If you believe you have been a victim of this type of scam, BBB recommends you file a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center and file a report with your local police department. Also, file a report with BBB.org/Scamtracker, the Federal Trade Commission, and your State Attorney General’s office.
  

To avoid online car sale scams, the BBB recommends the following tips:

• Beware of too-good-to-be-true deals. It is probably a scam. Scammers know that used cars are in high demand and will tempt shoppers with great deals.
  
• See the car before you buy it. Always make an in-person inspection and take a test drive before you purchase a vehicle.
  
• Do not give in to threats or pressure. Resist the urge to act immediately. Always take time to consider a purchase, especially if it is a vehicle that costs thousands of dollars.
  
• Do not wire funds for a car. Scammers often ask for wired funds because they are hard to track, and there is no way to get your money back. It is best to make large purchases by cashier check or credit card.
  
• Do not believe everything you see. Scammers are great at mimicking official seals, fonts, photos and other details. Just because a website or email looks official does not mean it is.