B & B Auto Sales Ripoff, tax scam Richmond Virginia

While living in Virginia, I decided to purchase a used car from a dealer that a friend had recently used. I picked a car I liked and negotiated a trade of my current car. We came to the agreement that the price of the car after trade in was $1600. I paid part that day and we agreed that I would pay the remainder the next day and that is when I would get the keys and drive off. I asked when would i get the title, and the dealer said "in about a week." this did not seem unusual, as my friend had not had problems and he had to wait about a week for his.

The next day I dropped off the balance and was given the keys. About a week later, I got the phone call, "your title is ready for pickup." I was told that I could pick it up any time M-F from 8am to 5pm. I went multiple times during the appropriate time frame and the lot had a gate that was closed and locked. I tried calling multiple times but never got an answer or even a machine.

Shortly after i had to move out of state for a Family medical emergency. I drove. I called the dealer again and again after leaving the state. I finally talked to the dealer months after the purchase. I asked if he would be kind enough to send me the title COD or something to that effect and he claimed he could not do that since I owed the state taxes for the sale of the car, he would have to collect the taxes before releasing the title. I asked him if I owed him money why did he give me the keys, I also asked him why I had to pay HIM the taxes AND the DMV when i titled the car... he mumbled and hung up.

I did some research and found hat the car wasn't even titled to THAT dealer, it was titled to a "Michael's auto sales" in Richmond, VA. I fought and fought to no avail, and even drove back to VA, where I found that the number had been disconnected and the dealership abandoned. I finally had to file a complaint with the state's motor vehicle dealership board who rewarded me with my title.

GoArmy
Brainerd, Minnesota
U.S.A.