AUTO DEALER VICTIM OF ID THEFT

8/14/2009

Jacksonville, FL – The Better Business Bureau of the Southwest warns consumers that a bogus company using a website of Barrera-AutoSales.com has stolen the identity of the BBB Accredited Business, Barrera Auto Sales located in Deming, New Mexico. This bogus company is not located at the Columbus Rd address in Deming as published on their website. Rather, they have a private web registration out of California, which came from another registration located in Australia. Essentially, Barrera-AutoSales.com used a web registration company in Australia to register their website again in the United States. The BBB does not know the actual location of the company; however, they are now using a new website of www.barreraautosales.com, which the Denver BBB has determined is out of Malaysia.

This company allegedly offers used vehicles for sale online via their website, www.barrera-autosales.com. The actual Barrera Auto Sales does not even have a website.

The BBB has received numerous phone calls from consumers asking about this fraudulent business website. Barrera-AutoSales.com offered a consumer a Mazda for $8,000, which is worth $19,000, to be shipped to her free of charge. Another consumer said that he came across Barrera-AutoSales.com through Stars Auto Sales on the Internet. He put in a request for a Mazda Protégé offered for $3198. He received an e-mail that they wanted him to wire transfer the money. Overall, the consumers who have encountered Barrera-AutoSales.com have done so through Internet searching and their offers are at least 40% cheaper than the regular price for the vehicles.

This fraudulent website also displays the BBB logo, which then links to a fraudulent BBB report. Barrera-AutoSales.com is NOT a BBB Accredited Business and the unauthorized use of the BBB logo and the distribution of the fraudulent BBB report, constitute trademark infringement upon the BBB’s federally registered trademark rights. A separate report for the BBB Accredited Business, Barrera Auto Sales, is available upon request by calling the BBB of the Southwest at (505) 346-0110.

    Consumers need to be wary of wiring money to businesses particularly any that are web-based. You might never receive the purchased item and have absolutely no recourse. In fact, the BBB implores consumers not to wire transfer any payment to a business that you do not have an established relationship because the wired funds cannot be traced. Furthermore, the BBB urges consumers to:
  • Only do business with companies that provide a sure method of contact that has been double-checked. Consumers need the correct contact information should something go wrong. Bad phone numbers, bounced e-mails and bogus or no address listed are all red flags.
  • Verify any organization credentials with the organization directly, (BBB, AutoTrader, Consumer Reports logos, etc.)
  • Check the company’s BBB report at www.bbbsw.org or by calling (505) 346-0110 to make sure that the BBB information coincides with the website’s information.

If you have become a victim of fraud, contact your BBB and the Internet Crime Complaint Center, (www.ic3.gov) to file a complaint.

Media Contact for this story
Jerry Shipman
2625 Pennsylvania NE Suite 2050
Albuquerque, NM 87110-3657
Phone: (505) 346-0735
Fax: (505) 346-0696
Email: jerry@bbbsw.org

For local information or to schedule an interview with a BBB spokesperson, contact:
Tom Stephens at 904-721-2288 x313.

About BBB
BBB, the leader in advancing marketplace trust, is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization's high standards of ethical business behavior. BBB provides objective advice, free business BBB Reliability ReportsTM and charity BBB Wise Giving ReportsTM, and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. To further promote trust, BBB also offers complaint and dispute resolution support for consumers and businesses when there is difference in viewpoints. The first BBB was founded in 1912. Today, 125 BBBs serve communities across the U.S. and Canada, evaluating and monitoring more than four million local and national businesses and charities. Please visit www.bbb.org for more information about BBB.