HOUSTON – Two Spring men have been accused of selling a car on Craigslist that actually was a rental car that one of the men failed to return months earlier, Local 2 Investigates reported Thursday.
Harris County sheriff's deputies said the men doctored a phony-looking title to put the buyer at ease. Court records show the forged title that was handed to the buyer reflected the car had previously been owned by "Marcus Hertz" when it was actually owned by the Hertz Rental Car company.
Bradley Eugene Rhodes, 26, was arrested on felony counts of forgery of a government instrument and theft, while Brandon Wilson, 26, has been charged with felony theft and fraudulent transfer of a motor vehicle. Both men have posted bail with future appearances scheduled in the 178th Harris County District Court.
They're accused of listing a 2011 Nissan Altima on Craigslist, which turned out to have been rented by Wilson back in November.
Deputies said Wilson did not return the rental car when he was supposed to, so that car was listed as missing when it showed up for sale on Craigslist.
"The car was seen on Craigslist by the victim. (He) made a meet with the suspects and looked at the vehicle and decided to buy it," said Deputy Thomas Gilliland with the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
The buyer met the two sellers at a gas station on FM 1960 near US 59 on Jan. 16. Deputies said the victim took the car for a test drive and then handed over $5,940 in cash to buy the car. He was handed the forged title, according to deputies, listing a mysterious prior owner named "Marcus Hertz."
When the victim tried to obtain license plates for his new vehicle, he found out the title was forged and the car was actually a Hertz Rental Car vehicle.
His wife told a reporter that she hopes other people hear about and learn from this theft, which cost her family nearly $6,000.
Gilliland said it's another example of how buyers need to be wary online, and he suggested only dealing with reputable dealers or people you know.
Other scams are common as cars are bought and sold on Craigslist, and the site prominently displays a warning to anyone shopping for a car, suggesting that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
In filing the felony charges, investigators not only found that the cellphone number attached to the Craigslist ad was registered to Rhodes. He also owned the vehicle that accompanied the stolen car to the site where the deal was completed, according to court filings.
Investigators also found paperwork at Hertz that was filled out by Wilson, complete with his driver's license, when he rented the car in the first place.
If the two men are found guilty of the scam, they could be ordered to repay the victim.
Wilson has a record that includes a trespassing conviction and two trips to jail for possession of marijuana.