‘Everything we had’: An Oregon City couple lost a staggering $45K in cash after buying a 2023 GMC truck — but the dealership was fake, vehicle was stolen. 3 red flags to watch out for

After negotiating with the seller, they were asked to visit a local dealership to complete the sale. They signed paperwork and drove away from the lot with the vehicle, assuming all was well. But they later found out they had fallen victim to a scam.

How they lost $45K

The Correas say they didn’t notice any red flags while at the dealership.

“Everything seemed to check all the boxes, and it seemed like any dealership that we’ve ever been to,” April told reporters.

The couple completed paperwork and drove away from the lot, assuming all was well. But days later, when they needed the vehicle title, Jaime contacted the dealership. His calls went to voicemail and were not returned and when he showed up at the dealership, no one was there. They contacted the Oregon City police immediately.

The Correas were alerted to the fact that the vehicle identification number (VIN) printed on the truck was tied to a different truck. It turns out the truck they were in possession of was stolen near Dallas, Texas, months prior. The Correas had to turn the vehicle over to the police.

When they asked what would happen next, they received heartbreaking news. April asked the police officer, “Well, what does that mean for us? What does that mean? We’ve just paid $45,000 for this truck; what does that mean we're supposed to do at this point?” The officers told them that nothing else could be done — their money was gone.

The Oregon City police department continues to investigate. April says that she knows of at least nine other victims. Unfortunately, no suspect has yet to be caught, and the Correas are now without the $45,000 they originally had.

“There's no happy ending. There’s no solution,” April said. “It’s a really tough place to be in.”