zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Culture
/
Scammer Steals Rental Challenger Hellcat, Sells It for $26,000 on Craigslist
Scammer Steals Rental Challenger Hellcat, Sells It for $26,000 on Craigslist-February 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:11:57

2016 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat

Craigslist can be a place to buy anything, especially big ticket items like cars. Typical rule of thumb is if you see something listed with a price that’s too good to be true, it likely is and you should avoid it at all costs. But, unfortunately, some people let the excitement take hold and all rationality goes out the window. They learn a hard lesson and literally pay the price. One man saw a Dodge Challenger Hellcat listed on Craigslist for $28,000 and had a thought it might be too good to be true. Turns out, it very much was.

As reported by , Los Angeles resident Don Le thought he found the deal of the century when he came across the 2016 Dodge Challenger Hellcat, with an asking price of $28,000. He quickly messaged the seller to set up a time to see the car. They met, he saw the Hellcat, loved it, and made a deal — managing to talk the guy down to $26,000.

Prior to the exchange, the individual that was behind this Challenger Hellcat sale had actually rented the vehicle from Driv3 Rentals. The scammer had called the rental place claiming to have lost the first key, and needed another one. He was denied the other key, and coincidentally claimed to have found the other one shortly after. Driv3, suspected something was up, and utilized the GPS tracker installed in the vehicle to find its location, and were led to it’s “new” owner, Le.

The rental agency was thoroughly surprised to find a totally different-looking Hellcat than the one that had been rented out. It was not disclosed how long the original renter had the car, but it was long enough that he was able to rubber dip the wheels, place horrible Hellcat decals on both rear fenders and paint both the trunk and roof black.

Ultimately, Le had been severely duped. For one — and we’ve all likely said this in our minds while reading this story — Le should have known something was up when he found a Hellcat that cheap. With the end of the Charger and Challenger near, and sprinkle in a little inflation, if you found a Hellcat in that price range, it would more likely look.

Le missed all the very large red flags that one should look for when purchasing a vehicle, especially off of Craigslist. The title, was fake, and had the wrong VIN number on it with multiple misspelled words; the bill of sale was a simple handwritten note. Oh, and Le also bought the seller’s sob story used to explain why the car was so cheap, saying he was recently divorced and needed some quick cash to get away from his ex wife.

The thief managed to get away with Le’s money, which wasn’t all his either. He had used funds form his savings, and the rest from his friends. Ouch.

While we feel for the guy, a little, we also see this as a very expensive reminder as to why you, the consumer, need to be vigilant when it comes to purchasing () cars anywhere. From dealers to Facebook Marketplace and , there’s always a chance . If you’re still tempted, do your due diligence, bring a trusted friend, and look over everything. But the biggest lesson of all is again, and your best move is to continue your search. Or you could lose $26,000.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Culture
Boris Johnson Was the Worst Car Writer of All Time
Boris Johnson Was the Worst Car Writer of All Time
“It was as though the whole county of Hampshire was lying back and opening her well-bred legs,” wrote Boris Johnson, dude who used to run London and now helped run the UK out of the EU about wheeling a Ferrari F430, “to be ravished by the Italian stallion.” And...
Feb 16, 2026
Traffic Jams: Thunderbitch - ‘Leather Jacket’
Traffic Jams: Thunderbitch - ‘Leather Jacket’
Happy Friday! We made it through another working week. To get you ready for the weekend, here’s some gritty, bluesy, Brittany Howard brilliance that should set you right up for an excellent few days. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Howard started out as the guitarist and lead singer...
Feb 16, 2026
How a Small Change in Camera Angle Completely Transforms Art of Rally
How a Small Change in Camera Angle Completely Transforms Art of Rally
Few racing games are more therapeutic than Funselektor’s , a minimalist, top-down arcade rally racer with an emphasis on driving feel and pleasant vibes. It’s a singular experience — the kind of racing game that rightfully garnered plenty of attention and praise from novices and experts alike. An interview...
Feb 16, 2026
Traffic Jams: Porcupine Tree - 'Love in the Past Tense'
Traffic Jams: Porcupine Tree - 'Love in the Past Tense'
It took over a decade, but has done it again: the band released a new album, , just shy of two weeks ago on June 24. It’s taken me about as long to single out a track because on the Jam meter. This one, “,” is the last song on...
Feb 16, 2026
NHTSA Thinks You're Driving Too Fast
NHTSA Thinks You're Driving Too Fast
The NHTSA wants you to slow down, the chip shortage shows the slightest sign of recovery, and Tesla sold a ton of Chinese cars. All that and more in for Thursday, July 7, 2022. Remember March of 2020, when empty streets led to a series of ? It sure...
Feb 16, 2026
VW Designed a Secret Successor to the Phaeton That Would Never Come to Be
VW Designed a Secret Successor to the Phaeton That Would Never Come to Be
The Volkswagen Phaeton was first thrust on the world in 2002, when the firm launched its vision for how a real luxury car should look and perform. , but was killed off in 2016. Now, the firm has unveiled the secret successor that was waiting in the wings before...
Feb 16, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved