Dealership Sales Manager Catches Con Man
22-year old Jody Williams is a con man. He has a history of shady business dealings. Back on July 1Â of this year, Williams used a bad check to buy a 2006 Jaguar from Plaza Jaguar in Creve Coeur, Missouri for $13,076. Williams would have presumably gotten far with the vehicle that he didn’t pay for, except he returned to the dealership the next day looking for another transaction.
Williams reportedly left a vehicle when he bought the 06′ Jaguar, and he wanted to trade in for another purchase. Offering to pay for this transaction with another personal check, the dealership staff became suspicious. They asked Williams to produce a cashier’s check. Williams didn’t accept that offer. He suddenly said that he didn’t want the new vehicle and left when asked for the cashier’s check. After his very suspicious exit, Plaza Motors Jaguar sales manager Tyler Trenary Googled Williams.
What he found was that the Better Business Bureau had written an article about Williams, labeling him a “con artist.†Williams has a history of fake e-Businesses. While Trenary now knew that Williams was a fraud, the man had disappeared. That disappearance, however, didn’t last long.
Three weeks after the first used Jaguar incident, Williams showed up at another Plaza Motors store wanting to purchase a BMW 3-series. The dealership allowed him to buy a BMW using a personal check for $30,116. KTVI reports Williams told the sales person he wanted a vehicle for every day of the week.  However, when Williams returned to Plaza motors once more for service police were called and he was arrested and taken off the lot in handcuffs.
In a KTVI interview, Trenary issued this warning to would-be conmen. Trenary said, “If you’re going to purchase a car with a bad check, if you’re going to try to be somebody else, steal someone’s identity to purchase a car, it’s not going to work out. We’re going to catch you.†After Williams was arrested, both the Jaguar and BMW were returned to Plaza Motors.
What is your policy in regards to paying for a vehicle using a personal check? In the case of Plaza Motors, what do you think of how they handled this situation?
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Just like Craigslist Scammers who have sent me dozens of bad cashiers checks, checks DON”T clear the system in 2 or 3 days. One to two weeks minimum to kick back to the depositor who is 100% on the hook. “CASHIERS” checks are no better than a regular check if you don’t call it in or take to the bank immediately.
The Fraudmeisters know to use actual accounts and account numbers on these bogus checks. In fact, technically they are “REAL” checks and are just fraudulent because of who has signed on them.
I know many dealers that won’t process the title for at least 10 days on a check purchase even if that goes past state rules for transferring a title. They would rather pay a small late fee. Since it is not a credit purchase it can be reported as a stolen vehicle as well as fraud. We do accept large checks with few questions asked if we know the person (where they live), the family or have done other business with us and in those situation we don’t call in the check.
Google is a great resource for identification. I could see a new Google business.
“Google ID” or “Google Verify!”
Why would it take so long to discover the bad check? Wouldn’t they notify the other stores to keep an eye out for this guy?
I realize a truly smart criminal would have left town, never to return.
We always call the bank on large checks to verify that it is written on an active
open account with money and that no fraudulent activity has been reported on that account. We also identify who signed our check to confirm that it is at least a name that should be on that account.