Three Arrested In Half Million Dollar Classic Car Scandal

On June 12th 2009 three individuals were arrested at the Volo Auto Museum for trying to purchase nearly half a million dollars o f the museums inventory using fraudulent United States Treasury Money Orders. The scam was persuasive and creative.

A group of six, including an elder gentleman, visited the Volo Auto Museum on May 24th 2009. Claming to have been awarded a large settlement from the government, the ring leader, using an alias, said he was there to start building a collection of classic cars.

After picking out seven cars that totaled nearly half a million dollars, he requested written confirmations on the automobiles for him to submit to the government in order to acquire the funds. June 7th, he returned with very convincing US Treasury Money Orders, a stack of government forms and someone claiming to be an officer. All the paperwork was filled out and then notarized by the pretend officer.

Volo refused to release the cars because there were uncertainties regarding the legitimacy of the money orders. The museum said they would release the cars upon clearance of the funds.

After the group left, Volo Museum had contacted the FBI who confirmed it was a scam.

On June 12th the Volo Auto Museum, in cooperation with law enforcement, lured the suspects to the museum where several undercover agents disguised as civilians and employees were waiting for them. Once the target was confirmed, the agents made a swift arrest.

With the many scam artists in this world preying on the unsuspecting, you can not be too careful in any transaction, no matter how assuring it may seem. If the Volo Auto Museum deposited the money orders instead of contacting the FBI, it could have been weeks before they were notified of the scam, the cars would have been gone and the criminals would be free to prey on other victims.

For more information on this scandal, visit the museums website volocars.com.

Volo Auto Museum is open seven days a week 10am - 5pm and is located in Volo, IL 815-385-3644